


New York State Of Mind

by Ultra



Category: Hart of Dixie
Genre: Alabama, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Awkward Conversations, Bed & Breakfast, Clubbing, Daddy Issues, Dating, Developing Relationship, Difficult Decisions, Drinking & Talking, Drunkenness, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, Family Feels, Family Secrets, First Dates, First Meetings, Flirting, Friendship, Getting to Know Each Other, Happy Ending, Help, Home, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Love Confessions, Misunderstandings, New York, New York City, One Big Happy Family, Party, Phone Calls & Telephones, Revelations, Rock Stars, Sex, Shock, Singing, Small Towns, Surprises, Talking, Truth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 85,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22881961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: Zoe Hart isn't much for going out to the clubs, not with her hectic schedule at the hospital, but tonight is her best friend's birthday, so she'll make an exception. She's expecting Gigi to get drunk and maybe for guys to hit on them, but she's not expecting to meet Wade Kinsella, and she's really not ready for how he might turn her life around.
Relationships: AnnaBeth Nass/Jonah Breeland, Lemon Breeland/Lavon Hayes, Tansy Truitt/George Tucker, Zoe Hart/Wade Kinsella
Comments: 48
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

Zoe Hart wasn’t really much for the club scene. With the hours she put in at the hospital, the crazy shift patterns and all, it wasn’t normal for her to be able to go out late into the night most of the time, even if she wanted to, but tonight was an exception. Today her best friend, Gigi, turned thirty and that required some serious celebrating. It was why Zoe had allowed herself to be dragged here, along with half a dozen other women, to drink and dance and have a good time.

Despite a big speech on sister solidarity and such when the night began, most of their group had started to wander off and hook up with guys they met at the bar or on the dancefloor. Zoe wasn’t judging but she really wasn’t the one-night stand type. She could be, she supposed, if she put her mind to it, maybe. It just wasn’t something she wanted to do. The opportunity never came up in high school or college, she was just too dedicated to her studies. Any guy she dated and eventually slept with was a boyfriend or at least real steady dating material. Zoe couldn’t say it was the way she was raised since her mother was a little too often to be found with somebody else’s husband in her bed, but she just wasn’t the type to fall for whatever guy sidled up to her at the bar and turned on the charm. It was a shame that wasn’t plain to some of those guys, so that they didn’t waste their time or hers.

“Zoe, come on!” Gigi urged her, pulling on her arm. “You can’t just sit here like a stick in the mud all night, come dance with us!” she said, grinning big.

Beside her, the guy she had been making out with in the middle of the dancefloor for the past half hour was also smiling, perhaps a little too much.

“Gigi tells me you two girls like to do everything together,” he said with a significant look that Zoe recognised too easily.

“Not _everything_ ,” she said pointedly before looking back to Gigi. “You go, honey. I’ll stay here with my drink a while longer.”

Though she complained about it, Gigi eventually led her guy away, leaving Zoe to her appletini. Honestly, she might just make this her last drink, call a cab and head home. She was pretty tired, this being her first night off from the hospital in more than a week. She should’ve stayed home and got a good night’s sleep, and yet.

“Refill?” asked the bartender, tilting her head towards Zoe’s now empty glass. “Um, no thanks,” she said, reaching for her cell. “I’m fine.”

Before the bartender had a chance to even move the glass away, her attention was being called for by a guy who leaned on the bar a little too close to Zoe. He ordered a beer but didn’t seem all that keen on moving himself out of her personal space.

“Excuse me!” she said snippily, shooing him with her hand. “Could you just back up a little? Seriously, I know New York is crowded but you do not need to be that close.”

“Wow. What crawled up your butt, sweetheart?” he asked her, complete with full-on Southern drawl, the kind of which was rarely heard in NYC.

“I was starting to think you were trying to, cowboy,” she said, tossing her hair. “There’s about six feet of room that way,” she pointed out.

The guy held up his hands in mock surrender, smiling too much as he shifted over a little bit.

“Sorry ‘bout that, princess,” he said, turning that same dazzling smile on the bartender as she gave him his drink. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he said as he handed over his cash, getting a hold of her hand in the process. “Wade Kinsella,” he introduced himself. “I am, as they say, with the band.”

The bartender was smiling even as she rolled her eyes and extracted her hand, turning away from him. Wade watched her go, still grinning, his eyes mostly on her butt, Zoe noticed. She didn’t mean for the snort of derision to come out so loud, but it did, and of course, he noticed.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Wade, turning her away again. “You don’t want me within six feet of you, but you also don’t want me lookin’ at other women? Well, make up your mind, sweetheart,” he told her, sipping his beer as he stared at her.

“Okay, first of all,” Zoe told him crossly, “my name is not sweetheart or honey or babydoll or any of those other cute pet-names that would suit a child or a poodle better than a woman. My name is Zoe Hart, _Dr_ Zoe Hart,” she said with emphasis.

“Is that like Bond, James Bond?” asked Wade, grinning yet.

Zoe rolled her eyes. “Why am I even talking to you?” she asked, eyes going back to her phone and the task of calling for a cab.

She didn’t notice that Wade had moved over again until he spoke too close to her ear.

“Tell me you’re not leavin’ already,” he checked, peering at the screen of her cell. “Not when we’re just gettin’ acquainted and all.”

“Please! Why would I want to get acquainted with you?” asked Zoe, turning her phone into her chest so he couldn’t see anymore. “What makes you so special? Because you roadie for some two-bit country band?” she said, gesturing towards the stage that was currently empty while Sippin’ Whiskey took a break.

Wade was laughing when she looked back at him, though he didn’t seem willing to tell her what the joke was. Zoe frowned at his weird behaviour, watching him drink down the rest of his beer and then wipe his mouth with the back of his wrist. Before Zoe could ask what his deal was, a hand appeared over Wade’s shoulder, tapping for attention. He turned around to face a younger woman, all blonde hair and boobs hoisted up to her chin, Zoe noticed. Without a word, the girl threw her arms up around Wade’s neck and pulled him down, kissing him long and hard on the lips.

“Ugh!” Zoe grimaced, hopping down from her stool and trying to move away.

She had ordered her cab but the wait time was at least 30 minutes. There was no point her going and standing outside in the cold for all of that time, so instead, she went in search of Gigi and her other friends, on the off chance one of them might actually not be severely drunk and/or completely attached to a member of the opposite sex.

“You lost?” asked a voice as Zoe searched.

“No, I’m fine,” she said like a reflex, well aware that letting strangers know you were alone and missing your friends was a bad plan. “Just heading for the bathroom,” she lied, turning to smile briefly at the clearly drunk guy at her back.

“You look lost,” he persisted, following her through the crowd.

“Well, I’m not,” Zoe insisted, making a definite beeline for the ladies’ room now, knowing she could at least hide there in safety for a while. “Bye bye now!” she said pointedly, trying to shove her way through all the writhing bodies on the dancefloor.

Zoe wasn’t really sure how it happened. One minute she was up and the next she was down. Either she slipped in a spill or the heel of her shoe had to have broken, but the moment she hit the ground, Zoe was disturbed to find herself rising from it under something other than her own efforts. Thick arms around her waist made Zoe panic and she writhed in an attempt to get away.

“Put me down!” she insisted, smacking the stranger in the back, to no avail. “Just put me down!”

“You heard the lady.”

She couldn’t see who was talking now, but Zoe was 90% sure she knew exactly who was challenging her attacker. After all, he had that same Southern drawl from before. In a second, she was being placed back on her feet in front of the drunken idiot that had been following her, now facing Wade Kinsella, who was apparently with the band.

“You want to start something with me, hillbilly?”

“Are you kiddin’ me?” asked Wade, wide-eyed. “That’s the best insult you got, I don’t think God favoured you with an overabundance o’ brains.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t need brains to beat your ass...”

Zoe was about to scream that they should both back off and let this drop, she really did not want anyone starting a fight on her behalf, but she didn’t get a chance to worry about it much. Her attacker took one step towards Wade and got a fist in the face for his trouble. The sucker punch brought him easily to his knees and in the seconds that followed security were all over the guy, dragging him from the bar.

“You okay, Mr Kinsella?” asked one of the burly security guys.

“I’m just fine, Cas,” he told him, shaking out his hand. “Won’t stop me playin’. Never has before,” he said with a grin. “You doin’ okay, doc?” he asked Zoe then.

“I’ll live,” she said, nodding her head as the security guy, who was apparently named Cas, seemed satisfied and walked away to make sure the drunken idiot was being properly dealt with. “Uh, thank you for that,” Zoe told Wade then, making a vague gesture with her hands.

“No problem, ma’am,” he told her pleasantly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got somewhere I gotta be.”

Zoe opened her mouth to say something, though she wasn’t entirely sure what, turning to watch Wade cross the floor. He talked a moment with Cas, slapping the security guy on the back, before climbing right up onto the stage. The next thing Zoe knew, she was surrounded by screaming fans, all eager for the next set by Sippin’ Whiskey, lead guitarist, Wade Kinsella.

“Oh my God!” She face-palmed. “He wasn’t kidding about being with the band.”

Zoe moved on shaky legs back to the bar, ordering a shot with a view to calming her nerves after the events of the last ten minutes. Victoria, one of the other girls from Gigi’s party, appeared at her side, pulling herself awkwardly onto a seat.

“Hey, Vic. What happened to your guy?” Zoe asked conversationally, even as she helped her friend keep balance on the stool.

“He had to go play,” she said, gesturing towards the stage. “You know, drummers get a bad rap. That guy is so hot.”

Zoe turned towards the stage and tried to get a look at the one Victoria was talking about. Honestly, he wasn’t that good looking in her opinion. Before she could look away, Wade moved into her view, shooting her a grin and a wink when he realised he had her attention. Zoe looked very deliberately away, though the smile on her lips seemed impossible to quell.

“Should’ve gone for the guitar player.” Victoria sighed. “Now he is _beyond_ hot.”

“He’s not bad,” Zoe admitted, unwilling to elaborate on having met him or how he saved her - it wasn’t as if Victoria would remember what was said even if she tried to tell her about it, she was so drunk. “I think I’m gonna head home now. You wanna share a cab? Vic?” she prompted when her friend seemed to be half asleep on the bar now.

“What?” she asked, barely lifting her head from her arms.

“Okay, you’re definitely coming with me. I’m not leaving you alone like this,” Zoe insisted, helping Victoria to her feet and starting to make attempts to walk her out.

“Can I help you, ma’am?” asked a voice, making Zoe wince with panic until she turned and realised it was Wade’s security buddy, Cas.

“Oh, thanks,” she said, allowing him to take some of Victoria’s weight as they headed for the door. “I think we have a pretty long wait for our cab,” she said worriedly as they got outside.

Cas got on his comms then, muttered a few things, and then smiled.

“A car will be with you in a couple of minutes, take you anywhere you want,” he told her easily.

“Um, thanks.” Zoe shook her head. “I didn’t know the club did that.”

“The club doesn’t,” he assured her, as the very car he spoke of appeared from round back. “Compliments of Mr Kinsella,” he insisted, moving to open the car door and helping Zoe manoeuvre Victoria into the back.

She soon joined her friend and the guy closed the door behind her, just as the driver asked where to. Zoe gave the address of her own apartment on automatic, her mind wandering yet. Checking Victoria was mostly upright and unlikely to choke on her own vomit if the worst happened, she put her attention on her cell, Googling Wade Kinsella and reading avidly about his bourgeoning musical career.

“A rock star with manners and decency?” she said with no small amount of wonder, before clicking onto another article. “That has slept with every willing woman who ever crossed his path,” she said, shaking her head. “Guys, huh? What are you gonna do?” she asked Victoria.

“Huh?” her friend moaned, head lolling against the window.

Zoe sighed and shook her head. It really had been quite a night.


	2. Chapter 2

“My birthday rocked, didn’t it?”

“Are you kidding?” Zoe asked incredulously, laughing at Gigi’s expression as she poured out smoothies. “You don’t even remember half of what happened that night.”

“Which is how I know it rocked!” she insisted. “Besides, you should’ve seen the guy I woke up next to.”

Zoe fought not to make a face and failed miserably. “If it was the same guy I saw you with at the club, you’re lucky it was just the two of you when you woke up.”

Either Gigi didn’t hear all of what she said or she just didn’t care. Sometimes, Zoe had trouble knowing exactly how she and Gigi were so close. They had similar tastes in a lot of things, but their life choices and such varied pretty dramatically. Zoe just wasn’t the end-up-in-bed-with-whoever type. Also, she liked to remember when she had a good time on her birthday.

“I think I’m doing pretty well.” Gigi sighed. “The hangover only lasted four days this time. As of this morning, I am fully back to my fabulous self.”

“Four days? Wow,” Zoe said, eyes deliberately wide as she sat down on the next stool over by the kitchen island. “That’s... great.”

She resisted the urge to explain the damage Gigi was actually doing to her body with that kind of alcohol abuse. People rarely appreciated it, even when they were patients and needed to be told. She knew from experience that her friends definitely did not want to hear it.

“So, you never told me what happened with you at the club,” Gigi said then. “I saw you talking to some hottie, right?”

“You may have done,” Zoe considered, her mind immediately going to Wade Kinsella, though she suspected Gigi meant some guy from earlier in the night - after all, she was pretty far gone by the time Zoe met the guitar-playing Southern gentleman. “There was nobody special for me.”

“They don’t all have to be special, Zo.” Gigi rolled her eyes. “They just have to be hot and available.”

Her cell rang then and she excused herself to take the call. Zoe smiled as she watched her go then drank down plenty of her smoothie. _Hot and available._ She supposed that described Wade pretty well. From everything she read about him, he certainly didn’t seem to let himself be tied down at all and hot worked on so many levels. The guy was very good looking and apparently one of the hottest up and coming talents on this side of the US.

Not that Zoe had read a _lot_ about him. Maybe more than was strictly necessary, but somehow, she just couldn’t help herself. Though he came off as the typical bad boy rockstar type from the articles she had dug up, he had been gentlemanly enough to her at the bar, dealing with the lowlife who tried to carry her off. It was at least a little flattering to know she had his attention even before that, because Wade certainly wasn’t limited in choice when it came to women. Some of the comments about him online were frankly obscene from a vast number of females, and some males besides, who really, really wanted to know him better in a myriad of ways.

Picking her cell up from the counter when it beeped, she realised it was just her mom telling her she would have to rearrange their dinner tonight. Zoe sighed and clicked from her incoming messages to the browser history, staring too long at the long list of Wade-centric searching. Maybe she had spent a little too long reading about the guy. That had to be unhealthy.

“Who is Wade Kinsella?”

Gigi’s voice suddenly near her ear made Zoe jump terribly, her hand covering her heart as she took a deep breath.

“Don’t do that!” she said, swatting her friend away even as she continued to try to read over her shoulder.

“Is he one of your mom’s clients?” Gigi asked as she retook her seat. “Because he is smoking hot.”

“He’s... nobody.” Zoe shrugged, putting her cell face down on the counter again. “He’s just a guy. He was part of the band playing at the club, you know, on your birthday.”

Gigi frowned a little, clearly trying to dredge up any memories she could. It was much tougher than it should’ve been apparently, but eventually she smiled in some kind of triumph.

“The country band!” she said suddenly. “Yeah, they were weirdly cool. I’m not much for country rock usually, but I got into it. Wasn’t Vic totally making out with the bass player?”

“Drummer,” Zoe corrected her. “Wade plays lead guitar.”

“Ooh, lead guitar.” Gigi grinned. “Good choice. So, you and he were...?”

“Nothing happened,” said Zoe definitely, wondering why she could feel her cheeks heating up even as she spoke the truth. “We just... we talked, he flirted, I didn’t, and then when this other guy was getting handsy, Wade kind of... stepped in,” she said, shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal.

That was a little unfair, making light of what he’d done. Nobody else had bothered to make a move to really help her out of what could have been a really bad situation. After the event, Zoe knew Wade could’ve played the hero card to his advantage, but he didn’t, just went back to his band to play his set. Of course, he had arranged a car to make sure Zoe got home safely and that was very sweet too.

“Earth to Zoe!” said Gigi, prodding at her shoulder with one pointy-nailed finger. “I think more happened than you’re telling me,” she said accusingly, the moment she had Zoe’s full attention. “Come on, spill!”

“There’s nothing to spill!” Zoe assured her, playfully smacking her hand away when Gigi continued to poke at her. “I’m telling the truth. We talked, he was just... being a rockstar,” she said, rolling her eyes. “He probably hits on any woman that gets in his line of sight. I mean, yes, it was cool that he dealt with a guy who was being seriously out of line and that he made sure security helped me out and everything, but it is still no big deal. I’m sure he’s met, and probably slept with, at least a dozen other girls since he met me. He wouldn’t even remember my name.”

“Ooh, and that bothers you,” said Gigi with a look.

“It does not bother me,” Zoe insisted, though she wondered why there was a voice in the back of her mind yelling that she was a liar the whole time she was talking. “He was just a guy I met and that I’ll probably never see again for the rest of my life, and that’s just fine with me,” she said, lifting her half-empty smoothie glass as if to toast her declaration.

“Sister solidarity,” Gigi said definitely, clinking her glass against Zoe’s own, before they both drank.

They didn’t need men anyway, Zoe was sure on that. Of course, that didn’t mean Zoe didn’t sometimes think it might be nice to have a boyfriend again. It might even be nice to see Wade Kinsella again, though not for a dating reason, just to thank him for everything he did for her the other night. Yes, that was all it was. Probably. Maybe.

* * *

“Hey, Wade! You even listenin’, man?”

He looked up to see his band-mate staring at him like he had two heads and forced a smile.

“Sure, I’m listenin’,” he replied, though it was an out and out lie and they both knew it.

The truth was, it happened a lot lately, him zoning out into his own world and all. It had started a few days back when they played some club in town, one of many that they were being pushed to and from most nights, but this club had been different, or at least, Wade had a very different experience there.

It wasn’t that he expected every woman he approached to just fall into his arms, although, for the most part, that was exactly what happened. Even those that hadn’t seen him on stage or heard his music could be dazzled by his good looks and charm. Wade had always been good with the females, no question, but it happened occasionally that he struck out. Very occasionally. Most often when a woman preferred the company of other women, or when they were the seriously committed to their husband or boyfriend type. It didn’t bother him too much. Wade would just move on to the next prospect and that usually worked out just fine. This one girl, strike that, this one _woman_ he had met at the club the other night, she was just different.

“Your head has been some other place for a while now,” said his buddy Mark, the lead singer for the band. “Tell me you ain’t homesick or somethin’?”

“Nah, that ain’t it” Wade shook his head, setting his guitar aside and running a hand over his face. “It’s just... I guess I’m just tired is all. Long days in the studio, long nights on stage, and not a whole lotta sleep even when I hit the sack,” he said with a salacious smile. “Life of a rockstar, right, man?”

“Yeah, man!” Mark agreed, slapping Wade’s hand in a high-five.

The next moment, Mark’s cell rang and he moved away to take the call, leaving Wade alone with his own thoughts again. It was so stupid to keep up the charade, to talk like he was fine and just getting a little exhausted from the thrill of the new found success Sippin Whiskey had found. It wasn’t about the long hours or nights spent entertaining certain fans more privately. It was just her.

Dr. Zoe Hart. He actually Googled her name, not really expecting anything to come up, but it did. Seemed she wasn’t just any regular doctor but a real fancy kind, some supersonic space surgeon or some such. Wade forgot the actual words that made up her job title, but she was smart, no doubt about that. Brains and beauty, and the good sense not to be bowled over by any guy who walked up to her at a bar and turned on the charm. Wade might actually like her all the better for not being easy than if she had immediately fallen at his feet when he smiled.

Usually, he would’ve just shaken off the rejection, or tried a little harder to see if he could change her mind, but thanks to the handsy blonde at the bar who had apparently been dared to see how far she could get with him without saying a word, Wade hadn’t exactly got much opportunity to get to know Zoe better. 

He had been looking out for the good doctor in the moments that followed and found her in the crowd in time to see the asshole who decided to be a caveman with her. Saving her hadn’t been about winning her favour so much as being the good guy his momma would want him to be, but Wade didn’t mind the idea that Zoe would like him better for stepping in too. The way she looked at him after, he was pretty sure that was more than gratitude, least he hoped so. Not that he supposed he would ever see her again, not outside of the pictures in his head, and they were there a lot.

“Hey, Wade!” Clayne called to him from across the room. “You got the music for this thing?” he asked, waving a piece of paper around.

“I don’t know what you...” he began, frowning some until he suddenly realised what his friend and bass player was looking at. “That ain’t for the band,” he said, suddenly on his feet and striding across the room, whipping the page from Clayne’s hand.

“Geez, man, what’s with you? You leave lyrics lying around, people are gonna assume it’s a song.”

“Yeah, well, you know what they say about folks who assume, right?” said Wade with a look, storming out of the room and into the hall, not knowing where he intended to go after that.

He leant up against the wall and slammed his hand against it for good measure, eyes running over the words he himself had written. It was a song, sort of. The music only lived in his head so far and even then, it wasn’t exactly finished, but the words had come easy, all about dancing green eyes, dark hair, and an amazing smile. All about healing hands and kisses only dreamed of as yet.

“You’re a fool, Kinsella,” he muttered to himself, balling his hand into a fist and crumpling the paper up into so much trash.

Still, he didn’t throw it away, instead flattening it out a little in the very next moment and shoving it deep into the pocket of his jeans. Maybe he could rework it into a decent song for the band, Lord knows, they could use some more original material for the crowds and more so for the record company, if they wanted to make this whole thing work.

These were the things Wade should be concentrating on - his music, the band, their careers in the industry - not some New York City doctor that didn’t want to know him anyway. Sure, it might be nice to see Zoe Hart again, but not for a dating reason or anything, just to see if she was doing okay after the other night. Yeah, that was all it was. Probably. Maybe.


	3. Chapter 3

“You guys, seriously, I am here for one drink and then I’m headed home. I am _so_ tired!” Zoe complained, even as Gigi bodily dragged her from the cab.

“Zo, stop being such a party pooper!” her friend complained.

“You know you’ll wake up when you get a couple of margaritas in you,” Victoria insisted, grinning too wide.

“Okay, first, not a party pooper,” Zoe told Gigi, pointing a finger at her. “I have just worked a really, really long week at the hospital, lots of double-shifts, and honestly, I’m so exhausted, I may actually be yelling at you in my sleep right now. Second,” she said, turning rather ungracefully on her too-high heels to face Victoria. “I do not want a couple of margaritas. Those kinds of drinks lead to bad decisions and no good. If you don’t believe me, ask my mother!”

It was sort of pointless her saying all of this and Zoe knew it. They weren’t listening because her friends rarely did when she was telling them off for dragging her out to a club on a night when she should really be sleeping. Honestly, if she were stronger, she would just say no and stay home, but she always let her friends (especially Gigi) coerce her in the end. Zoe had to wonder if maybe protesting was just a habit at this point or if she should book herself in for a psych eval. She really did believe she may have some masochistic tendencies at this point.

Taking a deep breath, Zoe straightened herself up and followed Gigi and Victoria into the club. They had barely made it into the main bar when she realised she had been set up and immediately turned to march straight back out again. Her friends seemed determined not to let that happen.

“Zoe, please don’t go!” Gigi urged her.

“Are you freakin’ kidding me?” Zoe checked, gesturing towards the stage where a very familiar band were playing their own special brand of country rock with abandon. “You did this on purpose.”

Gigi put on her best ‘who, me?’ face, but Zoe wasn’t buying, not for a second.

“Come on, Zoe,” Victoria started on her next. “This is as much for me as it is for you,” she insisted. “You know I had something going with James... or was it Jordan?” she said, frowning as she peered up on the stage.

“Sounds like you made a real connection, Vic.” Zoe rolled her eyes, though when she finally bothered to look up at the stage again and saw Wade, she had to admit she didn’t hate the fact she had the chance to see him again.

Maybe it wouldn’t kill her to thank him for his help the other night, not just dealing with the handsy guy but also providing the car that got her home safe. Biting her lip, she thought seriously for a moment and then sighed.

“One drink,” she told Gigi, her pointer finger raised to match the number she spoke of. “Seriously, just one.”

Her friends were soon both squealing and cheering like girls half their age as they took an arm each and dragged Zoe to the bar. She had to admit, she didn’t mind all that much, and actually, by the time she had a couple of glasses of wine, she didn’t feel half so tired anymore. The company was good, as was the music, and the view of the band playing on stage really wasn’t bad at all. Whatever else was true of Wade Kinsella, nobody could deny he was a very good-looking guy. Of course, it was also evident that she was not the only one to notice.

“Shouldn’t we be over there?” asked Victoria with a frown. “I mean, look at those bitches trying to get their attention.”

“Nobody is going to get much joy out of the guy trapped behind his drums,” Gigi pointed out to her, “and just because Wade is enjoying the attention doesn’t mean anything,” she told Zoe next. “You’re ten times prettier than any other woman in this place, plus we already know he has a thing for you.”

“He does not have a thing for me,” Zoe insisted, though she didn’t actually hate the idea that Gigi was right. “He goes with anyone that has two X chromosomes. I know, I read about him.”

“She’s done a _lot_ of research,” Gigi told Victoria with a look.

“Shut up!” Zoe told her, smacking her across the shoulder even as she laughed.

It was kind of crazy how much time she had spent reading about Wade online. Zoe knew it was stupid, like, really, really stupid, but she just couldn’t help herself. Watching the band over the rim of her wine glass now, she wasn’t sure what her deal was. Sure, they played decent music and they were all attractive and everything, but she wasn’t that girl, band groupie girl, she never had been.

As Sippin’ Whiskey brought their latest song to its crashing ending, the club seemed to explode with cheers and applause. The lead singer announced they were taking a break but would be back soon, and then all four of the guys left the stage.

“Okay, we’re up,” Gigi declared, hopping down from her stool. “Come on, Zoe, now or never,” she insisted when her friend didn’t move.

“What?” she checked, looking from Gigi to Victoria who was also on her feet now, rearranging her ample bosom in the top of the dress that didn’t cover quite as much as it might. “You’re not serious? You want us all to go throw ourselves at the band? Like three teenagers at a Bieber concert? No way!”

“Yes, way!” Gigi insisted, she and Victoria practically picking Zoe up from her seat and dragging her with them again.

It was shockingly easy for them to do given how petite Zoe was. Sometimes she hated how short and portable she was! Just when she was going to try protesting again, they stopped and she looked up from her own feet that had practically come off the floor, to see what had caused the sudden halt.

“Oh. Hi, Wade,” she said feeling just about as awkward as she ever had in her entire life. “You probably don’t remember me.”

“Are you kiddin’, doc? I think you’re underestimating how memorable you really are,” Wade told her, all charm and a winning smile that Zoe was determined would not make her knees go weak, and yet.

“Ah, the famous Wade,” said Gigi, grinning up at him. “I’ve heard so much about you. Gigi Godfrey,” she said, sticking out a hand.

“Pleasure,” said Wade, shaking her offered hand, before doing the same with Victoria who introduced herself too. “You ladies need drinks? ‘Cause I’m buyin’.”

“Oh, not for us, thanks,” said Gigi. “Vic and I have somewhere to be, but Zoe here, she would be thrilled to get a drink with you. Right, Zo?” she said, bumping her shoulder.

Zoe looked from Wade to her friend and glared daggers even as she fixed an over-the-top smile in place. “I’m going to kill you,” she said too quietly for anyone by Gigi to hear.

“You say that now...” she said, patting her arm. “Have fun, kids!” she told Zoe and Wade then, pushing her way through the crowd with Victoria and leaving the unsuspecting couple behind.

“Your friends are... interesting,” said Wade with a look.

“They’re the best,” Zoe said with fake enthusiasm. “But you really don’t have to buy me a drink. I wasn’t... I mean, I was hoping to see you, but not because... well, I wanted to thank you, you know, for the other night.”

She wasn’t sure why she felt so flustered, why this one guy should have such an effect on her. After all, he was just a guy. Potential future rockstar or not, that shouldn’t make much of a difference. Given her mother’s line of work, Zoe had met plenty of semi-famous people in her life and none of them ever bothered her like this.

“Well, I’ll tell you what,” said Wade then, smirking some, “you really wanna thank me for what I did, then you’ll have that drink with me. What do you say, doc?”

“Okay, if that’s what it takes,” said Zoe with a sigh, like it was just such a big deal to have to bother to spend time with him.

Still, when she turned back towards the bar, she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her lips. Maybe it didn’t entirely suck that Wade might genuinely like her after all.

* * *

It had floored him a little when he headed for the bar and ran headlong into Zoe again. Wade hoped it wasn’t too obvious that he was stunned and maybe a little too happy that she was there. So far, so good though. Mostly she seemed pretty giddy about seeing him too, so that wasn’t nothing. It was an improvement on her attitude the first time he came across her at a bar, but then everybody was allowed to have an off day now and then.

Remembering his manners, he asked her about all the work she had been doing at the hospital and actually listened while she told him about it. Wade never thought he would be all that interested in anything a woman had to say about her job, but then he never met anyone quite like Zoe Hart before.

“Thank you, for this,” she said then, picking up her glass with a smile. “And for the other night, like I said, I appreciate it.”

“All part of the service, doc,” Wade insisted, clinking his beer bottle against her wine glass. “Can’t have you thinkin’ all guys are like that damn fool back there at that other place.”

“Believe me, I don’t think that,” she assured him. “But it is nice to know there are still some decent people in the world that won’t stand idly by.”

“Not really my style, doc,” he told her easily. “Seems to me that anybody’s in trouble and needs a little help, you gotta step in where you can.”

The way she was looking at him then, Wade didn’t quite know how to take it. She was still smiling, which was great, and yet he got the feeling maybe it wasn’t all positive somehow.

“What?” he checked.

“Nothing,” she told him, shaking her head. “I just... I guess it’s a Southern thing or whatever?” she said, waving her hand in a random gesture. “I don’t know, it’s just a very different attitude to most people in the city. A lot of minding your own business goes on in New York,” she explained.

“Yeah, I noticed that.” Wade nodded, leaning on the bar a little closer to Zoe, just so they could better hear each other, at least, that’s what he told himself it was for. “It’s a whole different thing to bein’ home in Bluebell. You walk down the street there, just about everybody knows your name, says good morning and everything. This place is just... well, crazy as all get out if you want the truth.”

Zoe laughed at that and it sounded like music to Wade.

“Nobody has time for good morning here, they all have places to go and people to see. There’s a reason why they call it the city that never sleeps.”

“Yeah, well, maybe it should take a nap once in a while,” said Wade with a smirk, sipping his drink. “I’m not knocking New York in general, I mean, I’m happy enough to be here, gettin’ along so well with the whole music thing, but... well, it ain’t home, that’s all.”

“So, where is home? You said Bluebell, right? I’ve never heard of it.”

“You wouldn’t have. Tiny little place compared to here, down in Alabama, right by the gulf. Real pretty though and full of good folks. Lot of real good people.”

Wade cleared his throat then and tried to think of a good subject change. Talking about ‘Bama didn’t do him any good at all, just made him home sick and that was not a good look. Funny then that when he looked at Zoe he found her staring back at him with this soft gaze and a real genuine smile.

“You know, you should’ve tried being this natural a few nights ago,” she told him, leaning in a little as the interim music being played during the band’s break got too loud. “It’s way more attractive than the whole ‘I’m with the band’ thing,” she said with a look.

“Attractive, huh?” said Wade, biting his lip. “See, now, I knew you weren’t entirely immune to me, doc.”

“Yeah, well.” Zoe chuckled. “Just because you seem to be a nice guy and you did me a favour and everything, does not mean I want to be your groupie, okay, cowboy?” she said, downing the last of her drink.

“Hey, did I say that was what I wanted?” asked Wade, smirking hard.

Zoe didn’t have an answer for that, which made him a little proud. She was a little more quick-witted than some women he had known, that was for sure, but he liked that about her. So far, he hadn’t really found anything he didn’t like, except the part where she seemed determined to give him the slip any chance she got.

“Well, we had that drink,” she said, hopping down from her stool, “and now, I’m headed out. Good night, Wade,” she said, moving past him.

“Hey, hold on a second,” he urged her, glad to see she turned back without him having to give chase. “You’re seriously leaving already? It’s early yet.”

“Not when you’ve been working long, unsociable hours in the ER all week long.” Zoe shook her head. “I need sleep, Wade, and before you make me any bed-related offers, that’s a place I will definitely be going alone, thank you very much,” she said definitely, though she was smiling all the same. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

She was leaving again and Wade barely had a chance to put his beer bottle down on the bar and squeeze through the crowd on the dance floor before he lost sight of her. He caught up to her close to the exit, having to call her name to stop her leaving altogether.

“I can’t offer to walk you home, I got my other set to play,” he explained, “but you can borrow the car, like before, if you wanted?”

Zoe looked like she was considering it and also like she was probably going to say no. Eventually, she sighed.

“You’re sure that’s okay?” she checked.

“Sure, I’m sure.” Wade grinned. “It’s no problem. Can’t have a lady like yourself walking the dark streets alone at night, right?”

“I would’ve got a cab,” Zoe told him, “but I have to admit, your car is nicer. Also, the driver already knows my address after the last time so, thank you, I’ll take that ride.”

Wade felt his eyes go wide and had to shake himself into action a second later to arrange the car for Zoe. He couldn’t believe how dumb he was. For a week, he kept on wondering if he would ever see her again, and all the time, his driver had her damn address! Maybe he could use that to his advantage from here on out. After all, she definitely seemed interested now, or so Wade thought.

“Thank you... again,” she said as they stood on the sidewalk together, him opening the car door for her to slide on in, but she didn’t move at first.

Instead, Zoe shifted closer, went right up on her toes, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“My pleasure, doc,” he assured her as she stepped away again and finally got in the car.

Closing the door behind her, Wade stepped back and watched the car move away from the kerb, just as a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Wade, man, what are you doin’? We’re supposed to be on stage already!” Clayne said urgently.

Wade shook himself, turning from the sight of the car’s tail lights to face his friend and band-mate. “Well then, let’s get to goin’,” he said definitely, playfully shoving Clayne ahead of him back into the club.

At the door, Wade looked back into the dark street one more time, the car no longer in sight, and yet he smiled. So, Zoe had gone home early tonight, but there would be other nights. At least, he really hoped so, anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

“You know, sweetheart, you really need to take better care of yourself,” said Candice, holding Zoe’s chin in her hand and inspecting her face. “All that work and that awful fluorescent lighting at the hospital, it’s starting to show in your skin.”

“Mom, please,” she said, pulling away and taking the take-out containers through to the kitchen. “I have way more important things to think about than night cream right now,” she explained when she returned, picking up papers from the table and putting her focus back on them instead. “You know I have that big surgery tomorrow and I need to be prepped and ready. No screw ups.”

“Oh, come on, Zoe.” Candice sighed. “I know your career is important-”

“It’s not just about my career, Mom,” she cut in fast. “A person’s life depends on this operation going well and I’m leading the surgery. This is literally a life and death situation.”

“You think I don’t know that?” her mother checked with a look. “After all those years of being married to a heart surgeon? I do have some understanding, Zoe, so please don’t treat me like a fool.”

Zoe sighed. “I’m sorry. I mean it, I am,” she insisted when Candice looked doubtful. “I’m just stressed out about work right now, I can’t help it.”

Candice shook her head. “You know, sometimes, I just wish your life wasn’t all about your work. And before you say it, yes, I know,” she said fast, hands held up in mock surrender, “it’s important to you and you’re saving lives, but still, come on, Zoe, you need more.”

Zoe knew what her mom was going to say next. She was going to start pushing about dating again. It wasn’t that she was even really getting on Zoe’s back about marriage and producing grandkids or anything, she just wanted her daughter to be seeing a guy, going out, having fun, experiencing a relationship. That shouldn’t be so hard, and yet.

“I don’t really have time to date right now,” she said eventually. “Come on, it took the two of us almost a month to find a night when we both free to meet up for dinner and even then, it was so last minute, we’ve had take-out on my couch on a Sunday night,” she said with a look. “Let’s face it, even if I did have more free time, it’s not exactly easy to find a guy that understands the way my life works, unless I date another doctor and, well, that would probably be worse actually,” she said, considering it. “It didn’t help with me and Zack anyway.”

“Zoe, you’re talking about a boy that you dated in medical school,” said Candice, rolling her eyes. “I’m talking about you finding a _man_ ,” she said with a kind of emphasis that made her want to squirm.

“No offence, Mom, but I think you’ve had enough men for the both of us,” she said with a look, just as the door buzzer sounded.

“Well, at least I know how to enjoy myself.” Candice sighed. “Sometimes I wonder if you even have a libido anymore.”

“Mom!” Zoe gasped in horror, seconds before she answered the intercom. “Hello? Oh, okay, come up.”

“Do we have company?” her mother asked.

“Just a delivery guy.” Zoe frowned. “Funny, I’m not expecting anything.”

Moments later, she answered the tapping on the door, expecting to see a guy carrying a package of some kind. She got a real surprise when she couldn’t even see the delivery person for the large arrangement of flowers that got between them.

“Wow, okay,” she said as he pushed the blooms into her arms.

“Sign here please?”

“Sign where?” she said helplessly, unable to see past the roses and orchids and other flowers she couldn’t even name, glad to hand them off to Candice just as soon as she came over to help.

Zoe had soon signed for her flower delivery and then headed back to the couch where her mom was inspecting the gift on her behalf. She had the card in her hand and was no doubt about to read it when Zoe managed to intercept.

“Thank you,” she said smartly, whipping the card from Candice’s hand and reading it.

She had no idea she was smiling until her mother called her on it.

“So, there is someone special after all.”

Zoe wiped the grin off her face for all of a few seconds before her eyes went back to the card and the giddy smile began to slide back onto her lips. It was tough not to be happy when a guy sent you flowers, especially a sizeable arrangement like this one. The fact it was from one Wade Kinsella certainly didn’t hurt at all.

“No-one special,” she insisted anyway. “Just someone I met.”

Tucking the card into her pocket, she retrieved her flowers from her mom and took them to the kitchen. Putting some water into the sink, she carefully placed the flowers in there and went in search of a vase she already knew she wouldn’t find. She never had needed one up to now.

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” asked Candice from the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. “Honestly, Zoe, what kind of woman cannot talk to her mother about a guy she’s dating?”

“I’m not dating anyone!” Zoe insisted, peering out at her from around a cabinet door, having no luck at all with the vase search, as she suspected she wouldn’t. “I met a guy at a club and... well, he was nice enough, but nothing happened. I saw him again the other night when I was out with Gigi and Vic, and now, he’s sending me flowers. That’s all there is to it.”

“Oh, honey, that is _not_ all there is to it.” Candice shook her head. “Men do not send bouquets of flowers like that one unless they have a reason. Besides, how does this man even know where you live?”

“Because... his driver brought me home from the club,” she said awkwardly, knowing she was squirming and hating it. “And yes, he has a driver, but no, he is not a socialite or a business magnate or anything. Actually, he’s... well, he’s in a band.”

She wasn’t entirely sure how her mom was going to take that particular piece of news. Candice dealt with a lot of famous and semi-famous people in her work as a PR specialist, so a rockstar of any kind should not be that big of a deal. On the other hand, she might make a fuss, not least because Zoe was usually so anti getting caught up with the rich and pretty people that her mom worked with.

“He’s in a band,” said Candice, smiling as she considered it. “Front man?”

“Lead guitar.”

“That’s not so bad.”

Zoe laughed at the way she said it. “Oh my God, Mom, do you have to?”

“What?” Candice asked with faux-innocence - as if she didn’t know!

“You don’t know anything about this guy, except for the fact he has a driver, he plays lead guitar in a band, and he sent me flowers, and yet, somehow, you already decided he’s a suitable match for me?”

“Well, honey, I’m not suggesting you marry him or anything like that,” her mother insisted. “I just think that if he’s this determined to get your attention, and you clearly don’t object to it given the giddy smile when you read the card,” she said with a knowing look, “why not give it a chance? You might even have some fun.”

Somehow, her mom telling her to go for it with Wade made Zoe want to be all the more determined not to do it. At the same time, she had to admit, he was being kind of persistent. Not in a creepy way or anything, just in a flattering way that was actually very sweet.

“Okay, this subject is closed,” she said, abandoning her pointless search for a vase and ushering her mom back through to the living room. “Tell me what’s going on with you. Clients, parties, anything that is not my dating life!”

“You don’t have a dating life for us to talk about,” Candice grumbled, though she did change the subject after that, thankfully.

* * *

Wade turned over in his bed, reaching for his cell on the nightstand and checking the screen. It was past eleven, which wasn’t so late if this was a night when he was playing a gig or whatever. As it was, the band had all been told to hit the hay early since they had a long day in the studio tomorrow that was going to start at the crack of dawn or similar. Unfortunately, Wade just couldn’t sleep.

He had sort of been hoping he might get a text message or even a call by now. He put his number on the card that went with the flowers to Zoe Hart’s apartment in the hopes she might get in touch. He even went to the bother of having them delivered on Sunday night, because she had mentioned she actually had some time off then, before a big operation she was supposed to perform on Monday. On the card he wished her luck and told her he hoped he got to see her again soon, adding his number in case she wanted to contact him at all. It seemed that maybe she didn’t.

Wade still couldn’t figure out why that bothered him so much. She was just a woman and he had had more than his fair share of those in his time. There was just something about Zoe, and though Wade was well-aware that part of her appeal was the fact she wasn’t so easy to get, there had to be more to it than that. She was in his head all the time, her face, her voice, her laughter. It was like she was haunting him or something, but not in a way that Wade minded at all. If anything, he wanted more of her in his life, not less.

With a heavy sigh, he turned over in the bed, pushing his head hard into the pillow and trying again to get some sleep. This time, it might even have worked, if his cell phone hadn’t suddenly started to buzz on the nightstand. Wade flipped back over so fast, he almost gave himself whiplash, grabbing for his phone and cursing when he only succeeded in knocking it to the ground. Scrambling to get it, he hit call without even worrying about the ‘unknown number’ written on the screen. Seemed his instincts were still good.

“Hello?”

“Um, Wade?” said Zoe on the other end of the line. “Oh, crap, did I dial wrong?”

“Nah, it’s all good, doc,” he told her, grinning wide as he sat up in his bed, back against the headboard. “You dialled just fine.”

“Good, that’s... good,” she said with a sigh of apparent relief. “Most people probably wouldn’t appreciate a random call past eleven on a Sunday, but I thought, you know, rockstar lifestyle, there’s no way you’d be sleeping or anything.”

“Of course not,” Wade told her, biting his lip as he considered where he was and what he had actually been trying to do before she called - Zoe didn’t need to know that. “So, I’m guessin’ since I’m hearing from you, you got my gift?”

“I did,” she said with a smile he was sure he could hear. “Thank you, Wade. That was very sweet of you.”

“Not a problem, doc,” he told her easily. “Figured that operation thing you have to do tomorrow, well, that’s kind of like me scoring a major gig or something, right?”

“I guess, kind of,” she agreed. “It is definitely a big deal, career-wise, for me, so I appreciate the support. Strangely, not everybody I know gets how important these things are to me, but somehow, the stranger from the bar does,” she said, with incredulous laughter in her voice.

“Stranger?” Wade echoed. “Now, Zoe, I am just offended. I thought you and me were gonna be friends or something.”

She laughed at that, which was what she was supposed to do really.

“You and me being friends, huh?” she said then. “Exactly how many female friends do you have, Wade Kinsella?”

“More than you’d think,” he countered. “Back home, I happen to know a lot of women that I consider friends. Don’t go thinkin’ you know everything about me just ‘cause you got your Google search on.”

“I didn’t... How did you...?” she asked, making Wade laugh himself this time.

“You know, your friend Gigi talks a lot when she’s drunk,” he admitted, still chuckling. “She mighta mentioned you did your research on me and the band after we met the first time.”

The silence on the other end of the line bothered Wade more than a little. He thought he was just teasing Zoe, that was all he meant by what he said, but maybe she wasn’t into that. The other night, she seemed okay with it, but he probably went too far.

“Zoe?” he said carefully. “Hey, I didn’t mean to embarrass you or whatever. Come on, everybody looks up everybody online these days. I did.”

“You did?” she gasped. “You... you Googled me?”

“Maybe,” he said, smiling to himself. “How else do I know so much about what a fancy doctor you are?”

That made Zoe giggle some more, which seemed like a good sign.

“So,” she said after a while, “how come you’re not out playing up a storm or charming all the girls tonight, cowboy?”

“Maybe I was hopin’ that if I stayed home long enough, I’d get a call worth waitin’ in for,” he said, charming as he had ever been, but truthful with it - he hoped Zoe knew that.

“You really have all the lines, don’t you?” she said with a sigh.

Clearly, she didn’t get it. “It’s been said,” he admitted, “but that doesn’t mean they’re all lies, doc. I’ve been known to mean what I say, and I happen to think this call was worth waitin’ for.”

“Okay, then I believe you,” she told him eventually. “And thank you, again, for the flowers, but I should really go now. I need to be at my best tomorrow, for the surgery and everything.”

“You’ll do great, doc. You tell that patient of yours that he couldn’t be in better hands, I’m sure o’ that.”

“You’re a little crazy,” Zoe told him, in that way that sounded like she was smiling again. “But you’re a nicer guy than I first thought, I’ll say that much. Goodnight, Wade.”

“Goodnight, Zoe,” he said with a genuine smile on his lips. “Sweet dreams.”


	5. Chapter 5

Zoe:  
Thought you might like to know the surgery was a success. Half of me is exhausted and the other half is so full of adrenaline. I got to use a laparoscope and everything!

Wade:  
No idea what that is, doc, but if you’re happy then I’m happy for you.

Zoe:  
So happy! :) Hope you’re having a successful day too?

Wade’s thumbs hovered over the keypad of his cell as he tried to think what to write, he wasn’t exactly sure his day could be described as successful exactly. They had been in the studio since some ungodly hour that he didn’t even want to recall, trying to get a couple more tracks laid down for this album that never seemed to get done. So far, both Clayne and Jordan had thrown hissy fits and walked out at least a couple of times each, and for reasons nobody could figure, Mark seemed to have completely lost the ability to remember lyrics. Wade himself was doing okay for the most part, but if he was told one more time to ‘really give it some heart’ he might say or do something real regrettable yet.

Wade:  
I’m doing okay. Long day is all.

As soon as he sent it, Wade felt stupid. Like he could really complain about his life right now. Zoe probably just went ahead and saved a life and he was pissed just because his band had a bad day at the studio. It seemed so stupid.

Zoe:  
It’s tough at the top, so they say. You playing anywhere tonight?

A genuine smile came to Wade’s lips for the first time today when he read that message. If Zoe wanted to know where he was tonight, that almost suggested she might want to be in the same place, and that would improve his own day to no end.

Wade:  
Nope, not tonight. You disappointed not to get to play groupie? :P

Zoe:  
lol! You wish! Well, if you have nothing planned, maybe we could meet somewhere for a drink or dinner. Whatever.

Wade:  
Are you asking me out on a date, doc?

“Kinsella! Could you maybe pay some attention to what’s going on in the room instead of checking how many girls on the internet wanna throw their panties at you?”

Wade bit his tongue so hard it almost bled. Alan was a good manager in a lot of ways, but he could be such an ass too. Also, his timing just sucked.

“I’ll be right there,” he said, just as Zoe’s reply came in.

Zoe:  
Maybe I am :)

Had the message been any longer, he wouldn’t have gotten to the end before the cell phone was pulled unceremoniously from his hands. Wade leapt to his feet and glared hard at Alan.

“Are you kiddin’ me right now?”

“Are you kidding _me_?” Alan countered. “You wanna be a success in this business, Kinsella, you need to listen to what I tell you. This,” he said, holding up the cell phone, “is a distraction. Right now, you need to be focused on the job, and the job is making music,” he explained, pointing to the mic set up in the soundproof booth. “Understand?”

“Oh, I understand.” Wade nodded his head, acting all reasonable for just long enough that Alan dropped his guard so he could grab his phone back from the guy’s hand. “But it is a long time since I was a fifth grader, bub, so don’t talk to me like I’m one now.”

Standing up, Wade did tower over Alan a little bit, but they were both well aware that career-wise, the shorter man had the power in this situation. It was tough for anyone else in the room to know who would break first.

“Hey, Wade?” said Clayne, trying to get his attention. “Come on, man, it ain’t worth it.”

He knew his buddy had a point, but at the same time, Wade was just so tempted to haul off and slug the guy. It would probably be suicide as far as the band’s trajectory was concerned, and though Wade could say he didn’t care about that for himself right now, he knew what all this meant to the others. When he was calmer, it’d mean more to him too.

“I’m goin’ to the bathroom,” he said sharply. “If that’s okay with you, _sir_?” he asked Alan with a look.

He said nothing in reply, just flung his arm in the direction of the door as if to say ‘Go, if you’re going’ and then turned away.

Wade was smirking to himself as he headed out, stopping a few feet down the hallway and leaning against the wall. He quickly looked to Zoe’s message and hammered out a reply.

Wade:  
How about I pick you up at your place? Seven o’clock, okay?

He waited impatiently for the reply, grateful for so many reasons when it came through pretty fast.

Zoe:  
Seven is fine :)

Wade was grinning like a fool as he sent one last text, consisting of nothing but smiling emojis, then shoved his cell in his pocket and headed back into the studio. His long day was about to get a whole lot longer, because Alan was going to be unbearable for the rest of the afternoon, no doubt. Still, at least when all this was over, Wade had something to look forward to and he did look forward to seeing Zoe again.

* * *

Zoe really hadn’t been sure what she was thinking when she asked Wade if he wanted to go out with her tonight. It had to be a moment of madness, and she became doubly sure of it when he took so long in answering her text message. Of course, in the end, he had agreed to the date, offering to come pick her up at seven.

That agreement had led to her catching a couple of hours sleep before spending quite a while readying herself for the date. She took a nice relaxing bubble bath, washed her hair with her fanciest shampoo, did her whole beauty routine to make herself feel and look as good as possible, then slipped into one of her favourite little black dresses. 

With ten minutes to spare, Zoe had her hair styled and her makeup done, and was sitting on the couch fastening her shoes, grinning all over her face at the prospect of her date with Wade.

The smile had started to fade when the clock shifted past seven, then seven thirty, and fast closed in on eight. It occurred to her to text him, to call, but she got no answer. She told herself that he probably hadn’t meant to stand her up. Maybe he got held up, maybe he got sick or had an accident. Wade wouldn’t just arrange a date with her and not show, Zoe was sure, and then when eight turned into eight thirty and eight forty-five, she became less and less convinced.

“I’m an idiot,” she said to herself, tossing her cell onto the coffee table and putting her face in her hands.

All the research she had done into the guy, everything she read about his reputation with women. Zoe had been such a fool to think that Wade was going to be the reliable, steadfast-and-true type. If he got a better offer, he was going to take it, and he sure did have his pick of the easiest women in New York, as far as Zoe could tell. She wasn’t that way at all. She was a challenge and prided herself on the fact, but clearly Wade only had so much patience.

It still didn’t make any sense, she thought, even as she let down her hair and kicked off her fancy shoes, giving up on the idea that Wade was ever going to show now. Zoe had asked him on a date, put in the effort, shown willing first. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe he was enjoying chasing her and she had made it just a little too easy today.

Growling low in her throat, Zoe trudging off to the bathroom to remove her make up. She hated the tears she saw in her own eyes as she began to scrub away her lipstick and blush. There was no way she was blaming herself for this, she was only blaming Wade. Even if he had meant to show tonight, if something had gone wrong, he could’ve called. A simple text would’ve been fine, but no, he just hadn’t put in any effort at all.

“Well, don’t bother now, Wade Kinsella,” she told her reflection, since he wasn’t there to hear it. “You can just take your excuses and your stupid Southern charm and your church social smile and you can-”

Zoe stopped short of saying anymore when her cell suddenly rang in the next room. Running barefoot from the bathroom, she dived at the table to grab her phone and accept the call, without even looking to see who it was.

“Wade?”

“Dr Hart? This is Marcy. I know you’re not rostered to work tonight, but we were wondering if you were available? It is a mess down here and-”

“It’s fine, Marcy, I’ll come in,” she told her colleague quickly. “It’s not like I’m doing anything else tonight,” she grumbled right after, holding the phone under her chin as she unfastened her dress and let it fall to the ground. “I can be there in a half hour.”

True to her word, Zoe got changed into suitable work attire in record time and hurried all the way to the hospital, determined that at least a shift in the busy ER would take her mind off certain good-looking rockstars.

The moment she arrived, Zoe knew she was right to believe it. Marcy hadn’t been kidding, it really was a mess in the ER, so many patients and a distinct lack of medical professionals. It was going to be one hell of a night, but Zoe was ready for it.

“Dr Hart, you are an angel!” Marcy told her gratefully, shuffling folders on the reception desk. “I don’t even know what is happening. We have unprecedented intake for a Monday night.”

“It happens.” Zoe shrugged. “Don’t worry, we’ll clear the crowds,” she promised, rushing past her colleague.

Just as soon as she was prepped and ready, Zoe reemerged into the busy waiting area, grabbed the next folder off the pile and headed for the relevant cubicle to tend whatever patient needed her help.

“Good evening, I’m Dr Hart, I’ll be-”

“Zoe?”

She looked up with wide eyes to see Wade sitting on the bed, one hand holding a wad of material to the other and rather too much blood seeping through.

“Oh my God!”


	6. Chapter 6

“Oh my God!” Zoe gasped, staring wide-eyed at Wade. “What are you doing here?”

He was maybe the last person she expected to see when she walked into the cubicle, and certainly, she wasn’t expecting the pale face and copious amounts of blood. It also occurred to her way too late that she just asked the most stupid question imaginable.

“Fancy seein’ you here, doc,” said Wade, trying for a smile and failing badly as Zoe reached to tug at what appeared to be a T-shirt wrapped haphazardly around his hand. “’S been a helluva a day, all things considered.”

“I can see that,” Zoe agreed, wincing on his behalf as she finally revealed the nasty gash on the edge of his hand and wrist. “What have you been doing?” she asked worriedly.

“Is it that bad?” he checked, swallowing hard. “I mean, it feels pretty bad, but I was hopin’ I was wrong.”

“I have to clean it up to know for sure,” she admitted, looking up to meet his eyes.

He looked a little freaked out, which was understandable, she supposed. Also kind of sick, which was probably the fear and the blood loss combined. One thing was for sure, he had made it impossible for Zoe to be mad at him for not showing up for their date tonight.

“Doc?” he said, reminding her all too fast of what her job was here, what she was actually supposed to be doing.

“It’s okay. You’re going to be fine, I’m sure,” she said, finding him a smile. “I just need to... Um, hold this over it a little bit longer,” she advised, helping him press the fabric of the already soaked T-shirt firmly to the wound.

Quickly gathering what she needed to clean and disinfect the cut, Zoe returned to Wade, forcing herself to focus on nothing but the job at hand. Everything else had to wait, his reasons for not showing up to their date, her anger at him for that very same thing. Certainly, he couldn’t have had this injury two and three hours ago when he was meant to be picking her up, but something awful clearly happened at some point tonight.

“This is probably going to sting,” she said as she began to clean up all the blood.

“I’m a big boy, doc, I can take it,” Wade assured her, though she noticed he winced some as she worked. “Guess what my momma always told me was true. Fightin’ never helps anybody, just makes more problems.”

“You were in a fight?” asked Zoe, figuring that she was still being professional rather than personal - how the injury was caused could have a bearing on how she dealt with it. “Where?”

“Recording studio,” he explained, hissing out a breath and letting Zoe know she hit the part of his wound that clearly hurt most and probably went deepest. “Actually, the parking lot outside of the studio, if you want the whole story.”

“That explains the debris in here,” she said absently, continuing to clean the wound as thoroughly as possible while being as gentle as possible too. “Who did you fight with?”

Wade sighed. “That’s the part where I was kinda stupid,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. “My manager.”

“Your band’s manager?” Zoe asked, momentarily taking her eyes off his hand and looking at his face. “Wade, why would you...?”

“’Cause he was bein’ an ass!” he said definitely and perhaps a little too loudly, which he seemed to notice and therefore lowered his voice again when he continued. “He was gettin’ on my last nerve, he’d been doin’ it all day long, and finally, when it looked like we were done and ready to leave, he tried sayin’ it wasn’t happening. Since I knew you’d be waitin’ on me, I got kinda mad about it.”

Zoe was really, really trying to be professional, she honestly was, but hearing Wade say he got into a fight with his band manager over her? That gave her a special warm glow inside that made her feel very much like a woman and not at all like a doctor. She lost concentration, her hand slipped, pushing the cotton swap into Wade’s injured hand and making him yell.

“Oh God, I’m sorry!” she said fast, going back to the important task of getting him fixed up. “Um, this definitely needs stitches.”

“Stitches, huh?” Wade echoed, peering down at the cut with distaste. “I guess it could be in a worse place. I mean, my fingers are fine, I can still play, right?”

“Tough to say,” Zoe considered, frowning as she threaded up her needle to begin sewing. “I mean, I know you don’t actually use the outside edge of your hand and wrist to make the chords on a guitar, but the movement of that, stretching the muscles and skin there, it might not be a good idea for a while.”

Close as she was, by the necessity of sewing up Wade’s hand, she very clearly heard what she suspected were supposed to be muttered curses to himself.

“If your mother doesn’t like it when you fight, I’m guessing she wouldn’t appreciate knowing you just said some really bad words either,” she said, smiling as she glanced at him, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

“Yeah, well.” Wade sighed. “Good thing she ain’t around to hear it then. Momma passed on when I was ten.”

Zoe felt sick when she heard that. “Oh, Wade, I didn’t-”

“Don’t worry about it,” he told her easily. “You didn’t know. Hell, I guess we don’t exactly know much of anythin’ about each other yet, do we, doc?”

“We might have got to know each other,” she said, making her final stitch in his hand and tying off the end of the thread. “You know, on our date?”

She figured now she was done with the most important part of her job here, she was allowed to bring up their personal connection in a more real way. Zoe wished she hadn’t when Wade started to look so awkward. He looked away from her face to his own hand and made an impressed whistling sound.

“You do good work, doc,” he said, looking over his stitches. “Fast too.”

“I’m the best in the business,” she said modestly, pulling off her gloves. “I need to put a dressing on that, keep the dirt out. You’ll need to try to keep it as dry and clean as possible, and be careful not to disturb it too much. I cleaned the wound thoroughly before I sewed it, but sometimes stiches can come loose, even mine,” she said with a look. “You need to be careful, Wade.”

“Almost sounds like you really care, doc,” he said, meeting her eyes. “You know, I’m sorry about the whole date thing going south. Like I said, I had a mind to be there. I tried, it was just-”

“Now is so not the time,” she said regretfully, highly aware of where she was and just how many people were waiting to see a doctor. “Wade, the ER is packed and we’re understaffed, which is why I got a call in the first place. Maybe it’s a good thing our date didn’t work out or there are a lot of patients that wouldn’t be getting seen on time tonight,” she said, backing up towards the opening in the curtain. “I have a lot of work to do here, I’m sorry.”

“I get that,” he told her, nodding his head. “But I would like the chance to talk to you, explain things better, when you have the time?”

“Tomorrow night?” she suggested.

“Ah, I’m supposed to be playin’... but I guess that’s out,” said Wade, looking down at his bandaged hand. “Tomorrow night then.”

“Seven o’clock,” said Zoe pointedly. “My place.”

“I promise to show up this time,” said Wade definitely.

Zoe smiled. “I believe you.”

* * *

True to his word, Wade was outside of Zoe’s door the following evening at seven o’clock sharp. After the night before, he could understand why she might be mad at him, but at the same time, he did have very good reasons for not showing up like he should have. Frankly, it was a relief when she buzzed him up to her apartment and an even bigger one when she actually opened the door to his knocking.

“Hey,” she said, even going so far as to smile as she let him inside. “How’s your hand?”

“Kinda sore, I guess,” he admitted, flexing his fingers and wincing a little, as if to prove the point, though he wasn’t sure why he felt the need to bother.

“And you’re staring,” said Zoe then, frowning a little. “What?”

“Nothin’,” Wade assured her, shaking his head. “I was, uh... You look great.”

“Really? In this?” she checked, looking down at herself in sweatpants and a plain T-shirt.

“In everything, doc,” he told her honestly. “I mean, I only saw you dressed up the first couple o’ time we met, and last night in the hospital, well, between the pain in my hand and the shock o’ seeing you, I’ll admit, I’m not sure exactly how you looked, but right now? You’re still somethin’ to see.”

“Oh. Well, thank you,” she told him, ducking her face behind her hair as her cheeks turned a pretty pink.

Wade didn’t know too many women who blushed at compliments, not in New York anyway. Not that he had a problem with the boldness of some of the girls he came across at the clubs, but Zoe was different, special somehow. Sure enough, she could hold her own and be bold in her own way, but she wasn’t brash with it, not too forward or too into herself or her looks or anything. It was one of many things he liked about her.

“Sit down,” she told him, alerting Wade to the fact he had been standing there like a fool too long just watching her.

He joined her on the couch, her at one end, him at the other, and both just about as awkward as each other it seemed. It was a long time since Wade was in a woman’s apartment for something other than sex or any of the surrounding activities that went with that. He wondered what Zoe was thinking exactly, but for once in his life didn’t dare ask.

“So,” she said then, “you were going to tell me exactly what happened last night,” she reminded him. “I mean, I get that you had way bigger things to worry about than picking me up for a date, what with the bleeding and all,” she said, gesturing to his wounded hand, “but that was a while after you were supposed to be here. You didn’t call or text or anything, Wade. How do you explain that?” she asked, just a little anger creeping into her tone.

“You got every right to be mad, Zoe,” he assured her, “and I am sorry you were left sat here thinking I just didn’t care enough to show up, but that ain’t how it was at all,” he said definitely. “Like I told you, Alan was being a real ass all day. He was gettin’ on everybody’s last nerve, but especially mine. He just... he seems to think he’s the only guy in the world who knows a damn thing about music and...”

“Alan?” Zoe echoed, frowning some. “Alan, who?”

“McKenzie,” Wade told her. “That’s our manager, or was, I don’t know anymore. Why’d you ask?”

“Huh. Well, he _is_ an ass,” she said easily. “Like a really, really big ass. My mother can’t stand him, and even though I only met him once, he did not make a good impression.”

Wade felt like his head was spinning. “Hold on a second here,” he said, waving his good hand at her. “ _You_ know my band manager? And your mother knows him too?”

“Sure.” Zoe shrugged like it was nothing. “I told you my mom works in PR, right?”

“Nope,” Wade told her, shaking his head.

“Oh, okay. Well, she does and she knows a lot of music industry people,” Zoe explained. “Also, movie people, TV people, magazine people, sports people. Basically, anybody who has anything to do with media, money, that kind of thing.”

Wade let that sink in for a moment and before he could figure out what to say next, Zoe started up again.

“So, you got into a fight with the guy because he’s an ass, I get that, but the timing is still off, Wade,” she insisted. “You were in the ER three hours after you were supposed to be here picking me up for our date. You can’t have got that injury so early, you’d have bled out by the time I saw you at the hospital.”

Wade sighed. “This happened maybe a half hour or so before you saw me,” he admitted, gesturing with his injured hand. “When I took a swing at good ol’ Alan the Ass and put my hand clean through a car window ‘cause he moved outta the way. Next thing I know, I’m on the ground ‘cause the a-hole shoved me over before he ran away like a girl,” he grumbled, “but before that, long before, a while after I should’ve been here, he was tryin’ to say we had to stay longer at the studio. We had been there since the sun came up and he was workin’ us too hard. I told him I was leaving, took out my phone to text you and let you know I was sorry, that obviously I was gonna be late but I was definitely gonna be here,” he explained. “You gotta believe that Zoe.”

“Maybe I would, if I got that text you’re talking about, but I didn’t.”

“’Cause I never got a chance to write it, much less send it,” he told her desperately, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out evidence to present to her. “That damn fool got it out of my hand, pushed it right into his coffee cup and fried the whole damn thing. I can’t even get it to turn on.”

Zoe nodded like she understood, eyes moving from the dead phone to his face again. “You couldn’t borrow someone else’s phone?”

“Hell, Zoe, I never really got a chance,” Wade told her honestly, hoping she believed it, because it really was the truth. “The real fightin’ didn’t happen until later, but there was a lot said before that, a lot o’ yellin’ and... and things I prob’ly shouldn’t’ve said, to more than just Alan,” he said sadly. “The whole band got stirred up and I reckon just about every bad thing anybody ever thought of each other came out, until finally the security at the studio kicked us out. I know I started yelling at Alan again in the parking lot, lettin’ him know how pissed I was, for a lot of things, but right then, mostly about making me mess up with you. You know, if you don’t believe me, you can ask any of the guys from the band, they’ll tell you it’s true.”

He looked to Zoe to see if she was buying what he was telling her. It was the truth, so she ought to, but Wade was well aware it might sound like a crazy tale being spun to someone who didn’t know better. Like he said last night, they really didn’t know each other all that well yet, and it’d be a damn shame if they never got the chance because of all this mess.

“So, there was a verbal fight,” she summarised for him, “a big one, apparently. Your phone got trashed, your band all-but broke up, and you took a swing at your manager for making you work late?”

“I took a swing at him because...” Wade paused for a second and considered his words carefully before going on, “because when he found out I was mad at being late going out on a date, he said some stuff about the woman I was meetin’ that made me see red.”

He watched Zoe’s expression shifting, still not sure yet that she believed him. Wade hoped she would, but she had every reason not to, he supposed.

“Okay,” she said eventually, nodding her head.

“Okay?” he echoed uncertainly.

“Okay, I believe you,” Zoe confirmed. “I mean, clearly, your phone is broken, I know Alan McKenzie is a prize idiot that nobody with taste or good sense can stand to be around for longer than ten minutes without wanting to punch him in the face, and honestly? I don’t think anybody could make up a story like that, not unless you’ve written a couple of bestsellers that I don’t know about yet,” she said with a smile.

Wade grinned back at her. “No, ma’am,” he assured her. “Everything I told you tonight is the truth, Zoe, I swear.”

“And I told you, I believe you,” she assured him.

“That’s good.” Wade sighed with relief. “’Cause for a while there, I really thought I’d blown this whole thing.”

“No, you didn’t.” Zoe smiled. “But I am wondering how badly you’ve blown things with the band and your manager,” she said thoughtfully.

“Yeah, well, that’s for me to figure out,” he told her, not wanting to think much about it himself, truth be told.

“Maybe,” said Zoe then, getting his attention back in a second as the grin returned to her lips. “Or maybe the daughter of Candice Hart, PR consultant extraordinaire, could help you out a little...”


	7. Chapter 7

“Sippin’ Whiskey? Really?” said Candice with a look of distaste. “How very... Southern,” she said, shaking her head.

“Well, that is kind of the point, mother.” Zoe rolled her eyes, eating another bite of her delicious risotto. “They are a Southern rock band, and honestly, they seemed to be doing pretty well for a while, you know, playing around all the clubs, cutting a record, the whole nine yards.”

She was trying to play this just the right way, which wasn’t always easy with her mom. Candice was too smart to be easily duped, she had to be or she couldn’t be as successful in her work as she was, especially in a place like New York. Not that Zoe was trying to trick her mother at all, she just needed a favour, and asking for one of those from someone like her was never easy.

“I suppose it has its appeal to some people,” Candice considered, picking at her salad. “Do you know who’s managing them? They must have representation.”

Zoe opened her mouth then closed it again for a moment, taking a deep breath.

“Unfortunately, they might be running into a little trouble in the management department,” she said carefully, eyes decidedly on her plate again. “See, the guy they were working with... it was Alan McKenzie.”

Candice’s fork clattered against her plate as she coughed, seemingly choking on her food a moment, before finally gaining control and swallowing hard.

“Oh, Zoe,” she gasped, taking a sip of her drink. “I know there is a stereotype among men from the south, but this man you’re seeing-”

“I’m not seeing him exactly,” Zoe cut in, though her mom barely seemed to notice.

“He has to be a fool if he’s working with Alan McKenzie! That man is an ass.”

“Which is what I said,” her daughter agreed, “and trust me, Wade would agree with us too. He’s been having some problems with Alan, the whole band has, but Wade in particular.”

Candice stared at Zoe too hard, convincing her daughter that she knew where this conversation was going long before it got there. Zoe wasn’t sure whether to consider that a good thing or not right now. Part of her wished her mom would guess so she didn’t have to say it. Another part didn’t want her jumping to any awful conclusions.

“Zoe.” Candice sighed eventually, folding her hands on the table. “You clearly want my help with something, and quite obviously, it has something to do with Wade, his band, and Alan McKenzie. So, why don’t you just tell me before I lose my patience with this whole conversation?” she asked snippily.

Zoe sighed and dumped her fork down on her plate. “Fine,” she huffed, like it was such an inconvenience to be asked to get to the point. “Wade had a fight with Alan,” she explained, looking side to side to check no-one could hear and lowering her voice a little just in case she was wrong. “Not just a verbal one, a physical one. He didn’t actually hit him because the weasel got out of the way, but it was bad. Stitches in his hand bad, actually.”

“And his career is in playing guitar?” Candice asked with wide eyes. “Wow, such a smart guy.”

“Mom!” Zoe snapped too loudly, lowering her voice again in the next moment. “Wade just reacted, it happens sometimes. Anyway, his hand will be fine in a few days but he’s so worried about the band and what all this will mean for them. I’m sure the guys can patch up their differences, given time, but you know as well as I do that as much of an ass as Alan is, he does have pull in the business. Wade didn’t say it directly, but I know he’s worried about the band losing their deal. I don’t know what would happen if they did, but I can only think it’s not good.”

She looked to Candice with her best, ‘Please, be kind, mother,’ expression and hoped it worked. Sometimes it did and other times it didn’t at all. Candice really did blow with the wind on these things, but if anyone could convince her to call in a favour, it was usually her only daughter putting on her best pleading eyes and fat lip.

“This Wade Kinsella,” said Candice eventually. “He clearly means more to you than you told me before.”

Zoe didn’t want to admit to anything. Honestly, right now, there was very little to confess since she and Wade hadn’t even been out on a date or kissed or anything worth mentioning yet, but she was going to have to give her mom something if she wanted this favour. Besides, Zoe had to admit, to herself, at the very least, that she must care for Wade if she was willing to do all this in his name.

“He’s... he’s a nice guy,” she said at last. “I don’t know what else to tell you, he just... he’s a nice guy,” she repeated, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.

Candice smirked a little. “A good-looking nice guy,” she said then, a statement not a question, though whether it was a good guess or she had looked up a picture before, Zoe couldn’t be sure.

“Yes, okay, he is off the chart on the hot scale. Is that what you want me to say?” Zoe confessed, smiling in spite of herself. “I’m not blind and you’re not stupid, so let’s be honest here. Wade is insanely attractive and he has been really nice to me so far. He’s in a place right now where he needs help and, not least because he got me out of a fix once, I’d like to repay the favour, but I’m going to need your help for that. Mom, please?”

There was a long painful silence as Candice picked up her drink and sipped it thoughtfully. Her gaze drifted to the window and Zoe watched her as she, presumably, mulled over a possible way forward in this situation. She hoped that was what she was doing anyway.

“I’m going to need more information,” she said eventually, draining her glass, “and another vodka martini,” she said, putting her glass down with a thunk. “Let’s see if we can’t do something to save the reputation of Wade Kinsella and the wonderfully named Sippin’ Whiskey,” she said, wrinkling her nose as she said that very name again.

Zoe laughed, even as she signalled the waiter for refills on their drinks. Sometimes, in spite of everything, she really did love her mother.

* * *

“Wade, m’boy,” said Lavon with a hearty chuckle. “It is good to hear from you. Everything goin’ along alright in the Big Apple?”

“Oh, you know how it is, man,” said Wade, forcing a smile that didn’t come too easy right now. “Things are what they are in the big city. All loud and frantic, all o’ the time.”

“Well, if you gonna go for the rockstar life, you gotta expect that kinda thing,” his friend told him easily. “Still, like I said, always good to hear from you. Nice knowin’ you didn’t get too famous yet for the likes of us small-time folks.”

“Small-time?” Wade echoed with a laugh. “Said one of the greatest line backers the Tide ever had.”

“Can’t argue with that,” his buddy agreed, “but it ain’t the same as a rockstar.”

“I ain’t a rockstar yet, Lavon.” Wade rolled his eyes, even though his friend couldn’t see on the other end of the phone. “I play a few clubs and we put a few songs out on the internet. Not exactly Billboard 100.”

“Hey, you’ll get there,” said Lavon knowingly. “Anyway, everythin’ here is just fine. Since I know it’s gonna be your next question, Earl is doin’ good, no problems there. Of course, everybody sends their love to you. I promised to remember quite a lot of folks to ya, next time you put in a call. Let me see now, Lemon, obviously, and AB, George, Shelley, Tom, Wanda, Delma, Shula, Wally...”

“Lavon, you keep on goin’ you’re gonna name the entire town!”

As his friend chuckled and admitted he was probably right, Wade wished he felt as inclined to laughing. Honestly, the only thing that made him feel worse about the loss of his so-called music career was the homesickness that came with hearing about all the folks that were missing him.

As Lavon went on, telling stories about what was going on in Bluebell, Wade laid down on his bed, closed his eyes and pictured himself home. Honestly, there wasn’t much for him to miss in New York if he went back. Sure, he’d feel pretty stupid about losing this chance to make it big with the band and all, but he could live with that, somehow. It might be worth it to go home to ‘Bama, to the places and people he knew best. It was another reason why he wasn’t quite so sorry about taking a swing at old Alan the way he had.

“Anyway, enough talk about our small town business,” said Lavon then. “You gotta tell me all the excitin’ news about playing at clubs and making a record and all. Come on now, Wade, give me all them details.”

“Not much to tell.” Wade sighed, rubbing his hand across his tired eyes, gaze catching on the gauze plastered to the side of his hand and wrist yet. “I, uh, had a little accident a couple o’ days back. Put my fist through a car window, cut myself up some.”

“No, no, no!” Lavon declared. “You can still play, right?”

“Not right now, but I should be fixed up in a couple more days,” Wade explained. “So, the doc told me anyway.”

Though Lavon would have no idea, Wade was certain he had that goofy smile on his face again when he talked about Zoe, even in such a minor way. It might be a short list of things he would miss if he did have to leave New York, but she would be right there at the top. Honestly, at this point, she might just be the whole damn list by herself.

“Well, so long as you okay,” said Lavon then. “You got folks looking out for you there, right? ‘Cause I know the big city can be a lonely place, in spite of all the people around.”

“I’m doin’ okay,” Wade promised. “Actually, that doctor I was tellin’ you about... well, she’s pretty special herself.”

“She?” Lavon echoed. “You got yourself a lady doctor friend? Oh, I see how it is.”

“I’m pretty sure that you don’t,” said Wade, shaking his head, already knowing very well what his friend was thinking. “She’s not like that, Lavon. She’s... different.”

“Different, huh? Please don’t tell me she immune to that ol’ Wade Kinsella charm o’ yours?”

“Now, I never said that.”

It was strange now that Wade thought about it from Lavon’s point of view, which he was forced to do as his friend started talking about a woman maybe making an honest man out of him. All his adult life, Wade was pretty good at charming women, taking them home to his bed for a good time, and then moving on to the next conquest. It worked for him, no commitment, short-term flings that never lasted more than a weekend at most.

What he told Lavon was true enough, Zoe was very different. When she seemed less than interested in him, he just couldn’t let it go, and now, even though she clearly liked him, she certainly wasn’t the one-night stand type. That should’ve sent Wade running for the hills, but it didn’t. He still hadn’t quite figured out why that was, what it was about her that kept him coming back for more, but he couldn’t help himself. Of course, it’d be an end to all that if things really did fall apart for the band and they had to go back home.

“Wade?”

“Still here, man,” he assured Lavon who now sounded worried. “Sorry, I was just... my mind’s wanderin’ a bit. Things here are a little weird right now. Band stuff, you know how it is.”

“Not exactly, but I guess I got an idea from my football days,” Lavon told him. “Fame and fortune and all, it’s no bad thing, but bein’ away from everybody you love and everything you know, it ain’t easy.”

Wade sighed, knowing how very true that was, and glad to have a friend that understood. Of course, he couldn’t tell Lavon that he might be coming home very soon, much sooner than anyone thought, and with his music career in tatters around him. That was a story for another day, when he was more sure of what was happening exactly. Though he and the guys had pretty much made up their differences, what might yet happen with the deals they had, with McKenzie and their contract, that was very much up in the air.

The phone beeping in his ear made Wade stop and look.

“Hey, Lavon, I gotta go. Got another call comin’ in that I oughta take, you understand?”

“That’s just fine,” his friend assured him, “but you call back again soon, you hear? We all like to have you check in plenty, let us know no harm’s come to ya.”

“I’ll call again soon,” Wade promised, before they ended their call and he switched to the incoming one from his favourite ‘lady doctor’ as Lavon put it. “Hey, doc. What can I do for you?”

“Actually,” said Zoe with a smile he could just here, “I’m calling about what I can do for you, Wade Kinsella.”

“Well, keep on talkin’, sweetheart, ‘cause I think I’m gonna like this conversation,” he told her, even though he was already pretty sure she didn’t mean anything like he was implying.

“Okay, first, gross, and you’re an ass,” she told him, with laughter in her voice, “but being serious for a second, I do have some good news for you, or rather, I might have soon,” Zoe explained. “I may have talked to my mom about your situation, you know, with the band and Alan and everything.”

“Zoe, I don’t-” Wade began, but she barely let him begin before she cut in again.

“Please, Wade, just let me tell you what happened, because I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”

“That I do believe,” he said with a smile. “I don’t think you’re capable of disappointing me, Zoe Hart.”

“Okay, enough with the Kinsella charm since I already did you the favour,” she told him. “Like I said, I talked to my mom, you know, Candice Hart, big time PR person, and here’s the really good news...”


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't really understand a lot o' this," Wade admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not that I wanna make any notions you have of musicians or Southern folk being dumb seem true or anythin', but I always thought if we pissed off Alan, this whole music career we were supposed to have was headed straight down the drain."

Candice smiled nicely enough from her end of the couch, though Zoe wasn't absolutely convinced her mother wasn't about to say something regrettable. Thankfully, she didn't.

"You really don't have to worry about all the details, Wade," she assured him instead. "Alan McKenzie is a cog in a machine, that's all, and I happen to know that he is a very annoying cog at the best of times. Thankfully, he's not the only band manager in the world and he can't do you too much harm thanks to a little... well, let's say damage control on my part," she explained with a look that Zoe had seen many times before.

"Mom knows people," she explained to Wade. "Lots of important people in the music industry, amongst other places, and by calling in a couple of favours she... fixed things."

"Fixed it so Sippin' Whiskey didn't lose the record deal or the gigs we had lined up?"

"Exactly." Candice smiled. "All you have to do is take these papers, get them signed by yourself and the rest of your band, and I can introduce you to your new manager tomorrow morning. You'll have no trouble with Bradley Carlton. He's a charming boy, isn't he, Zoe?"

Zoe glared daggers at her mother and would've been tempted to kick anybody else who so embarrassed her like that. Unfortunately, that wasn't the kind of thing you could pull with your mom.

"He's a nice guy, from what I remember," she said, clearing her throat. "The point is, you'll have a decent manager, and you won't lose any of the deals you already had lined up. You'll play the clubs, finish your album, it'll be great," she said, smiling widely at Wade.

He smiled back at her, and yet, somehow, Zoe wasn't quite sure the expression was entirely genuine. She figured maybe she just didn't know him well enough to be able to tell. After all, it had only been a few weeks and they never did manage to get even one date yet.

"Uh, right," he said eventually, shaking his head and looking to Candice instead of Zoe. "Thank you, ma'am, for all that you did here for me and the guys. We appreciate it, or at least, I do and they will too, when I tell `em."

"No problem at all," said Candice as she got up from her seat, looking amused when Wade got up too. "Any _friend_ of Zoe's is a man worth helping with his career," she said pointedly.

Zoe rolled her eyes then watched as Wade shook Candice's hand with gusto and thanked her all over again for what she had done.

"Those contracts need to be signed and sent back to me by 2pm at the latest," she was telling him as she left. "I need to get them over to the management company and copied to a few others for the deal to be finalised."

"You'll get `em, and thank you, again," Wade told her, raising the hand that held the papers in a kind of odd wave as Candice finally opened the door to let herself out.

"I'll call you soon, honey!" she called back to Zoe.

"Thanks, Mom!" she replied, just before the door closed with a bang. "And that was my mother," she said to Wade, laughing as she cleared the coffee cups away.

"She's kind of intimidatin', I don't mind admittin'," he agreed, following Zoe as she headed for the kitchen, "but I'm all kinds of grateful for what she's doing for me and the band. Your momma really is something else, Zoe Hart."

That made her laugh out loud. "Yeah, that's been said before," she admitted, as she moved around the kitchen, shoving the cups into the dishwasher and generally tidying things. "Of course, there's usually a different tone of voice that goes with it," she added, turning towards the door and almost running right into Wade.

She hadn't really been aware of his exact location and now she found him leaning on the doorjamb, completely blocking her exit. She gave him an enquiring look and Wade smiled down at her.

"You know, since I only met Ms Candice today, seems to me that somebody must've pleaded my case awful hard to get all this stuff figured out so fast," he said, waving the paperwork in his hand.

"Maybe they did," Zoe agreed, nodding her head, "but don't let it go to your head, cowboy," she advised, hands on her hips. "I like to help people, it's in my nature. You know, doctor, healing the sick, saving lives. I guess it doesn't hurt to save a career now and then too," she said, smirking a little.

"Well, you should know I appreciate what you did for me, you and your momma both," he said, leaning down towards her a little. "Seems you've been taking care of me a lot these past few days, first my hand, now all this," he reminded her. "Gotta mean somethin', right?"

Zoe had the overwhelming feeling that he was going to kiss her, and quite honestly, she wasn't sure she would mind much if he did. Still, it certanly wasn't her way to make things too easy, not for Wade or for anyone. She backed up a step, though her smile remained.

"I patched up your hand because it's my job," she reminded him. "And I got my mom to help out you and the band because I owed you a favour and... well, you did say the whole trying to punch your manager thing mostly happened because he insulted me, right?"

"That is true," Wade agreed. "I mean, he didn't know it was you exactly, just some woman waitin' on me for a date."

Zoe nodded her head. "Yeah, about that date. Never quite happened, did it?"

"Hey, you wanna remedy that, doc, I am more than willin'," said Wade with real enthusiasm as he checked his watch. "Now, I gotta get this paperwork figured out with the guys, but unless you're working some shift that gets in the way, I would love to pick you up and take you to dinner at... seven-thirty?" he offered, with hope evident in his eyes.

There was a part of Zoe that said she was a fool to agree after the last time, but it wasn't as if Wade had just stood her up for the hell of it a few nights ago. He had very good reasons for not being where he was supposed to be. Besides, she had been the one to ask then and he had readily said yes. Now he was doing the asking and he looked so genuine, she couldn't really deny him a second chance.

"Okay," she said eventually. "Seven-thirty, but," she continued, holding up a warning finger, "if you are so much as one minute late, Wade Kinsella-"

Before she could say more, Wade dipped his head and planted a quick kiss on her cheek that startled Zoe to silence.

"Not one _second_ late, doc, I promise," he said softly before very quickly turning and walking away, leaving her stunned. "I'll be back at seven-thirty. Prepare yourself for the best date of your life, Zoe Hart!" he yelled as he hurried out of her apartment, something akin to a whooping Native American war cry escaping before the door quite closed behind him.

Zoe couldn't help but laugh, and even when she stopped, the smile remained. Honestly, she was really looking forward to their date tonight.

* * *

Wade didn't feel much in the way of fear, he just wasn't the type, and when he did, he sure as hell knew how to hide it well. It certainly had been a good long while since the idea of a date with a woman made him anything like nervous, but then, no other woman had been Zoe Hart.

After what happened the last time, and promising her so faithfully a few hours before that he would not be even a second late for this date, he arrived at Zoe's building a full fifteen minutes early and waited in the car a while before heading into the apartment building behind someone else who buzzed themselves into the main door.

Travelling up in the elevator, Wade checked his watch as he reached Zoe's door and smiled when he saw it was only 7.25. Knocking on the door, he waited all of thirty seconds before Zoe opened it, and the sight of her just about took his breath away.

"Wow. Look at you," he said, looking her over appreciatively. "Zoe Hart, you are beautiful."

"You're not so bad yourself, Wade Kinsella," she told him, even as she blushed at his compliment to her. "And hey, punctual too," she said, having glanced at her watch. "I'm impressed."

"You think this is impressive, doc," he told her, holding out his arm for her to take so they could leave, "you ain't seen nothin' yet."

Of course, it had occurred to Wade that Zoe was a woman who liked the finer things in life and since his fledgling music career was apparently not about to go to hell, he could afford to treat her like the lady she certainly seemed to be. He got them a table at a real nice restaurant and, naturally, took her there in his (or rather the band's) own chauffeur-driven car.

"Thanks, Pete," she said, waving to the driver as Wade opened the car door for her outside the fancy eatery.

"Huh." Wade shook his head. "Been making friends with the driver?"

"Well, this is the third time he's driven me around," she noted. "Honestly, I've probably had as much conversation with him as I have with you so far."

"Seems to me we should be lookin' to fix that," said Wade, escorting her into the restaurant.

There were certain things that bothered him about this date. It wasn't paying the bill at the fancy restaurant that scared him, not even knowing how to behave in such a nice place, because Wade did know his manners well enough. He had also deliberately picked a restaurant he had been to before, with a menu he knew he'd be able to read and pronounce. All of that was fine. The problem, surprisingly, was Zoe.

So far, they hadn't spent all that much time alone together. As she pointed out as they left the car, she had probably spent almost as much real quality time alone with Pete the driver as with Wade himself. There was a brief conversation at the club that first night, another a while later, then at the hospital when she patched up his hand, (much of which he didn't recall too clearly thanks to the pain), his explanation of what happened that night, and then earlier today after her mom left the apartment. Those few things plus a few texts and a couple of phone calls was the sum total of their whole relationship so far. Suddenly, Wade was just a little worried that he wouldn't have anything much to say that a woman like Zoe would want to hear, and that he would be lost in any conversation she tried to start about anything she liked or knew much about.

"Wade?" she said from across the table, alerting him to the fact he probably had a weird look on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Sure, doc. Just dandy," he promised, putting some real attention on his menu, as she did the same. "You like this place, right?" he checked, without looking up.

"Are you kidding? I love it here," said Zoe with real enthusiasm that he was pleased to hear in her voice and see in his face when he did glance her way then. "I don't get to come in too often, but when I do, I am never disappointed. The chef has a way with pasta, I don't even know how he does it. Do you come here much?"

"I've been here once," Wade admitted. "Friend o' mine recommended it to me. See, he used to live in New York for a while, when he was hell-bent on bein' a real fancy lawyer."

"A lawyer?" Zoe asked, looking surprised. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I would think all your friends would be in music. Not all my friends are doctors," she said, laughing at herself.

"Well, I don't know him because he's a lawyer or anythin'," Wade explained. "Me and George Tucker came up together, back in Bluebell. Just about the best friend I ever had. Funny thing that just when he got back home after his time in the city, I go and get my big break and come on up here."

Zoe looked up from her menu one more time, seeing a faraway look in Wade's eyes. The moment he realised she had seen it, he put his focus back on the menu and then the waitress was there and they needed to place their order. By the time she was gone, Wade seemed to be back in the room and Zoe wasn't sure whether bringing up his hometown was a good idea or not. In the end, she realised if she didn't ask about Wade's life before rockstardom, she really didn't know what she was going to say.

"You must miss home a lot. I mean, Alabama, that's a long way from New York, right?"

"It's pretty far," Wade agreed, nodding his head. "But, you know, it ain't so bad up here. City has its perks," he told her, smiling widely just as their drinks arrived. "Here's to beautiful New York City doctors and their kickass mommas in PR," said Wade, lifting his glass in a toast.

"And here's to Southern cowboy rockstars, who are obviously going to make it big," said Zoe in kind, clinking her Martini glass against Wade's beer glass with a grin.

As first dates went, so far, so good.

* * *

"Next thing I know, the damn fool is tossin' that crossbow like it's nothin', didn't even check if the safety was on, which it was not, and then he's on the ground yellin' about the arrow in his leg."

"Oh my God!" Zoe gasped, trying hard to breathe through the laughter that just wouldn't end.

Some of the problem was a few too many drinks over dinner, but honestly, Wade had told her so many funny stories about the people of Bluebell on the car ride home, she was just in fits the whole time. It was nice though, to laugh, to have fun, to feel so comfortable and happy. She really hadn't dated much for quite a while, and when she had dared to go on the occasional night out with a guy, one or both of them usually ended up disappointed. Tonight had been so different.

"I really should not be laughing," she said as they stepped out of the car and the fresh air hit her. "I'm a doctor, I must not mock the afflicted. I took an oath!" she insisted, turning to face Wade and losing her balance a little as she fell against his chest.

"You don't gotta worry, doc," he assured her, setting her back steady on her own two feet. "George Tucker was just fine, and hey, we all got a good story to tell out of it," he said, smiling as he pushed Zoe's hair gently back off her face.

It had been a funny story, but all the humour had gone out of the situation now as they faced each other. As much as Zoe had suspected Wade was going to kiss her hours before in her kitchen, she hadn't been absolutely certain, not like she was in this moment. This perfect, perfect moment on a dark New York Street as his hand slid behind her head and he leaned down to cover her lips with his own.

Zoe had never once had any concerns about Wade's ability to kiss. Guys like him were really good at that kind of thing and he did not disappoint at all. In fact, if his other arm hadn't wound around her, as her own went up around his neck and the kiss went on and on, her knees might just have buckled enough to bring her to the pavement in quite an ungraceful heap.

When they finally parted, Zoe had to take in a very deep breath. Her lips were bruised and her cheeks flushed, but damn, she was happy, smiling wide and sure she wouldn't be stopping for a good while yet.

"I had a great time tonight, Wade," she told him easily. "It was worth two attempts to get to this."

"I'll agree to that," he told her, one hand still at her cheek. "So, I guess the gentlemanly thing to do now would be walk you to your door, right?" he said with a look in his eyes that Zoe couldn't mistake.

Truthfully, she was very tempted to take him up on the offer too, but there was something, a voice inside her, a strange sense of propriety or something that made her slowly shake her head.

"Thank you, but no," she said, almost regretfully. "It's not that... Wade, I'm just not that kind of girl. Weirdly, I almost actually wish I were right now, but... but I'm just not."

She didn't want to think it, but a small part of Zoe almost expected him to say something mean and walk away, never to be seen again. Thankfully, Wade proved her wrong one more time.

Nodding his head in silent understanding, he then leaned in to softly brush his lips against her own one more time. "That's just fine with me, doc," he said near her ear, "'cause I am more than certain that you're worth waitin' for."

Zoe was pretty sure she stopped breathing altogether when she heard that and didn't start again until after she watched Wade climb back into the car, waving goodbye to her, before he fully closed the door and was driven away.

It really had been the most amazing night, just like he said it would be, and Zoe would be happy to have many more just like it in the future.


	9. Chapter 9

As Wade and the rest of Sippin’ Whiskey finished playing their newest song, there was applause from beyond the screens. Each of the guys turned to see Bradley, their new manager, seemingly in raptures about their efforts so far today in the recording studio. It made a real nice change after Alan ‘The Ass’ McKenzie.

“You guys are something else,” said Bradley with no lack of enthusiasm. “I really think we could do great things here. The world is ready for this kind of sound, I’m sure of it.”

“You got more confidence than some,” said Wade with a look. “I mean, our former manager, he thought we were good, but he never seemed so happy to have us as you do.”

Bradley rolled his eyes. “That guy is just... Well, he knows talent, clearly, or he never would’ve signed you up at all, but he sure as hell does not know good country music.”

“But you do?” asked Clayne curiously. “You got just as fancy a New York accent as anybody else I hear around here.”

“Because I have lived here for most of my life,” said Bradley with a smile. “Truth is, I’m just a good ol’ boy, like the rest o’ y’all,” he said then, with a distinctly Southern twang that didn’t sound half so fake as some they’d heard from New Yorkers thinking they were funny. “My family comes mostly from Texas, at least, my mom’s side does, and I know things are a little different in Alabama and all, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m talking about. Hey, we were all raised on Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, weren’t we?”

“Couldn’t exactly call ourselves Southerners if we weren’t,” Mark agreed. “So, I was thinkin’, Brad...”

When Wade realised their lead singer was going to start messing with the bridge in ‘Lightning’ for the hundred and fourth time, he breezed out a little. Honestly, it was great that anybody else’s opinion was even being considered. Alan hadn’t been too hot on letting the band have their own ideas, thinking he knew better on everything, all of the time. Bradley was definitely a better fit for Sippin’ Whiskey which was a good thing. At least, it should’ve been.

There was a part of Wade that was almost disappointed to have a new manager that wanted to be so helpful to the band and all. That was crazy and he knew it, but it might just have suited him better if this whole music career thing hadn’t quite panned out. He didn’t really mean that, at least, Wade told himself that he didn’t, but sometimes, the homesickness just crept up on him. If things had gone south, then that was exactly where Wade and his buddies would’ve been headed, back down to ‘Bama where they belonged. As great as New York was, as cool as it was to be a success and everything, it could never be like home.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound cut through the melancholy fog in Wade’s head and he looked to the corner where he left his stuff. His cell phone was vibrating on the chair there and he went to grab it, frowning a little when he realised he missed a call, but smiling again the moment he saw he also had a text message.

Zoe:  
Finally got a break in my super-busy shift and just wanted to say hi, but I guess now you’re the busy one. Hope your day is less stressful than mine :)

The timestamp showed she had sent the text just a minute earlier, so Wade was pretty confident in replying, sure that she would see it immediately.

Wade:  
Not a bad day at the studio. The new guy is so much better than the old one!

Zoe:  
Like he could be any worse!  
Zoe:  
Anyway, glad you’re having a good time. When that album comes out, I expect a signed copy, cowboy!

Wade:  
You’ll get one, doc. That’s a promise :)

“Okay,” said Bradley then, clapping his hands together. “Seems to me that now would be a good time to take a break,” he said, encouraging the band to disperse a little, “not least because Wade clearly has a lady calling for his attention,” he said with a look in Wade’s direction.

If that didn’t prove Bradley was both smarter and a better guy in general than Alan McKenzie, nothing ever would.

“You’re a good man, Carlton,” he said, putting his hand up for a high-five.

Bradley didn’t leave him hanging. “She’s a special one, huh?” he said, nodding towards the phone in Wade’s hand. “I know that look, man. I wear that look since I met my fiancée.”

“Ah, it ain’t as serious as all that.” Wade shook his head. “I mean, me and Zoe, we’ve only been on, like, one date so far,” he said, one hand rubbing the back of his neck.

Bradley laughed. “That is all it takes sometimes, Wade. You’ll see.”

When he walked away then, Wade meant to call after him to tell him... well, something, though he wasn’t sure what. A part of him thought he should be denying how tight him and Zoe were, how close they had become, but he just wasn’t sure why he should. Sure, the whole rockstar lifestyle usually meant a different girl every night and all of that, and that was the way Wade had lived for a while. In fact, he was doing that kind of thing back home, long before a potential music career presented itself, but now things were different. Zoe was different.

As if thinking her name made her do it, she sent another text, the phone vibrating in Wade’s hand to let him know he had incoming.

Zoe:  
I have to get back to the crazy-busy shift now :(

Wade:  
No problem, doc. Go save those lives :)  
Wade:  
You know when your next night off might be?

Zoe:  
Not sure yet. Why do you ask?

Wade:  
Like you don’t know :P

Wade chuckled to himself as he quickly fired off that text and then read Zoe’s quick reply.

Zoe:  
Maybe I do ;) I’ll let you know when I know, okay? It might be a while.

There was a smile on Wade’s face in spite of the fact his next date with Zoe might be a little while in coming, because he was certain the reply he was sending her way would make her happy too.

Wade:  
Like I told you before, I just know you’re worth the wait :)

* * *

“Here we go again!” said Zoe with a sigh, as she leaned heavily on the reception desk. “I am exhausted already and this shift is only half done.”

“Exhausted and yet smiling,” said Marcy with a look. “What happened on your break to make you so sunny in the face of adversity?” she asked curiously.

“Oh, nothing.” Zoe shrugged, though she was pretty sure she was doing a crappy job at hiding her grin and being coy. “Okay, so, maybe there’s a guy.”

“Ooh, new boyfriend!” Marcy said happily, clapping her hands. “Tell me everything.”

“I really wish I could, but I can’t right now,” she said, looking over as the doors opened and another serious injury case came almost literally tumbling into the ER. “Later, I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it!” Marcy called behind her, even as she had to take another call.

Zoe went straight into work mode, cleaning and patching up wounds, resetting bones, and diagnosing diseases and conditions to be treated. For a few hours, it was all she could think about, but eventually, as the crazy-busy went down to a dull roar and it was almost time to call it a day, she headed back to the reception desk and kept her promise to Marcy.

“You really want to know all about Wade?” she checked with a smile.

“Wade, huh? Good name,” said her friend with a grin of her own. “Where’d you meet him?”

“At a club, but it’s not the way that sounds. He was actually playing in the band there, and I know, I know, that doesn’t sound so great either, but it’s really not like that. I am not a groupie and he has never treated me like one. For a guy who plays lead guitar in a country-rock band, he’s actually really sweet and kind and decent, plus insanely hot, obviously,” she said, rolling her eyes and laughing at the same time.

“Wow,” said Marcy with a look of wonder all over her face. “Sounds like the whole package to me.”

“He does, doesn’t he?” Zoe agreed wholeheartedly. “Honestly, I did not see myself dating a guy like Wade, and the first time he hit on me, I was so not into it, but things have changed. We got to know each other and... I don’t know, maybe I’m crazy, but I really think this could be something, you know, a relationship worth pursuing.”

“Then I say go for it,” Marcy told her happily. “God knows, if I ever get so lucky as to meet a guy like that, I would be pursuing it for all I was worth. Hey, how about the other guys in this band?”

“Hmm, I don’t really know them yet,” said Zoe thoughtfully, “and I can’t guarantee they’re exactly like Wade. I could ask though?”

Marcy laughed as she got up from her seat, her shift clearly over too as her colleague came to relieve her. She walked towards the break room with Zoe, clearly eager to continue their conversation, but unfortunately, they never got the chance.

“Dr Hart,” said a voice behind them.

Zoe turned to find Dr Menzler, the Chief of Surgery, behind her and immediately pulled herself up to a more attention-like stance, while Marcy sensibly excused herself and went on into the break room alone.

“Can I help you, sir? I just completed my shift, but if you need me to...”

“No, no. From what I’ve been hearing, you’ve more than done your share today, Dr Hart,” he said with a rare smile. “It’s just that Dr Breeland here was hoping to meet you.”

Another man appeared from behind Dr Menzler then, a much younger, very good-looking man that made Zoe take notice. She was particularly interested to know why this guy would want to meet her. She was sure she never heard of him before and wondered how he was even a doctor when he looked so young, not to mention pretty.

“Dr Hart, a pleasure,” said Dr Breeland, reaching out a hand that Zoe dutifully shook. “You know, we had a little confusion when Dr Menzler here mentioned Dr Hart was working under him. I had a notion he was talking about Dr _Ethan_ Hart, but I believe that great man is your father.”

“Yes, he is,” said Zoe, nodding her head. “Um, do you just know him by reputation or did you actually meet at some point?”

“Uh, actually both,” he said with a winning smile. “When he was in New York last week, giving his talk on cardiothoracics, I was lucky enough to be attendance. Your father truly is a genius, Dr Hart. I can only imagine you were the reason he had to rush off so fast at the end of the lecture, but I’ll forgive you for cuttin’ short the long talk I was hoping to have with him.”

Zoe’s eyes were wider than wide for two reasons before the young doctor was ever done speaking. Not only was she a little surprised to be in close quarters with another attractive man from the South - because judging by his accent, Dr Breeland hailed from somewhere close to where Wade was from - but the very thought of her father being in the country, in the city no less, and not seeing her made her feel cold. Last she heard, Daddy was in Germany.

Before she could say anything, Dr Menzler insisted on not delaying Dr Hart any further as she looked, as if she really needed to get some sleep before her next shift rolled around. Truthfully, she barely heard what he said at all, and only just caught Dr Breeland’s comment about hoping to see her again very soon before they both walked away.

Zoe rushed into the break room then, going straight for her cell, and immediately speed-dialling her father’s number. The line didn’t even ring, just made a strange beeping sound, then an electronic voice declared the number she had dialled was disconnected. Zoe was only glad that Marcy was gone and there were no other staff members around either by now. The last thing she needed was for her colleagues to see her cry.


	10. Chapter 10

When it came to drinking, Zoe Hart wasn’t much of an expert. She liked a glass of wine with her meal, sometimes a couple of cocktails if she was out with her friends or at a party, but that was kind of her limit. She _knew_ it was her limit and, in general, she stuck to it. Even when she was young, in high school, in college, she never really set out to get drunk. Never did a pub crawl or keg stands or anything like that. She was a social drinker, a sensible drinker. At least, she had been, until tonight.

“Fill her up, sister,” she said to the bartender with a wink. “Keep ‘em coming.”

“You sure about that, honey?” asked the other woman with a look of concern. “I mean, I’m not cutting you off or anything, not yet, but from one woman to another...”

“Fill her up!” Zoe insisted, not wanting to hear any concern or advice.

“It’s your hangover,” the bartender muttered, fixing another drink.

“Yeah, whatever,” said Zoe, turning around a little on her bar stool to survey the club.

This was the place she ended up in on Gigi’s birthday. Of course, there had been a crowd of them then and it had been all the other girls who were hell-bent on getting drunk just for the fun of it. Tonight, there was just Zoe, since everyone else seemed to be busy or not answering her calls and texts. Not even Wade.

“So much for you, cowboy,” she said as if he were there, the point being, of course, that he was not. “Men, huh? I mean, seriously, why do we bother?” she asked the bartender as she placed a fresh drink in front of her.

“You’re preaching to the wrong crowd, sweetheart,” She shook her head and smiled, showing Zoe a tattoo on her arm - a large love heart with the name Stephanie in script written across it. “That’s my girlfriend,” she explained.

Zoe’s mouth made an O and then she started nodding frantically. “You’re smart. Smart women don’t even bother with men. Of course, there are some men we all have to deal with. I mean, you have a father, right?”

“Sure. I take it yours is some kind of ass?”

“Ha!” The single burst of laughter from Zoe’s lips was far too loud and she only realised it when she realised several people around her at the bar were staring. “Sorry,” she told them, lowering her voice as she went back to talking to her new friend. “My father is great. Real nice guy, excellent surgeon, well-loved, totally popular. I always wanted to be just like him. You know what happened?” she asked, shrugging her shoulders as she answered her own question. “I did everything to make him happy, he just walked away. He was in New York last week, didn’t even come see me. Never even let me know he was here.”

When her voice started to crack, Zoe stopped talking. She was vaguely aware that she was already slurring a little, but there was no way in hell she was going to cry over her stupid father and the stupid fact that he stupidly didn’t care about her. It was his loss, all his, and she didn’t care. Except suddenly her vision was blurry and the arm she was resting her chin on atop the bar was getting wet. Maybe she cared a little bit.

Reaching for her drink, she tipped her head back and drank it down in one. Unfortunately, it helped about as much as the last half dozen, which was to say, hardly at all.

“You know, I really think we should call you a cab now,” said the bartender kindly. “You want me to do that?”

“A cab?” Zoe echoed, shaking her head. “Why would I want a cab?” she asked, sniffing hard and swiping away her tears. “I’m here, I’m... I’m having fun, with my good friend... Um, what’s your name?”

“Michelle,” the bartender told her, nodding once. “The only trouble is, you don’t seem to be having too much fun. Come on, let me get you a ride home. You look like you could use some sleep.”

When Michelle reached for Zoe’s arm, she whipped it off the bar so fast, she almost overbalanced off her stool. She was saved from a nasty fall by hands grabbing her from behind and keeping her steady.

“Easy there,” said a voice, the owner appearing at Zoe’s side a moment later. “You okay?”

“I am just fine,” said Zoe smartly, shooting Michelle a self-satisfied look. “In fact, I was just thinking I could use somebody to dance with, and look, you’re here.”

The handsome stranger laughed at that. “Never let it be said that I don’t appreciate a woman who knows her own mind,” he said, smiling at her. “I would be more than happy to dance with you...?”

“Zoe,” she supplied.

“Chris,” he replied in kind, holding out a hand for Zoe to take.

She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to shake it or use it for leverage to get down from her stool. In the end, she kind of went for a combo greeting and assistance, leading her new friend out onto the dancefloor. She glanced back in time to see Michelle shaking her head, but Zoe didn’t care. If she wanted to dance, she would. If she wanted to at least try and have a good time tonight and feel a little less worthless and pathetic than her father had made her feel, she would. Screw what anybody else thought.

* * *

When Wade finally managed to get his cell plugged in to charge, he found he had a whole lot of text messages and missed calls. He was just working his way through them all when the phone rang again and he frowned when he saw who was calling.

“Cas?” he said as he put the phone to his ear. “What’s up, man?”

“Wade, we kind of got a situation here, and maybe I’m sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong but, well, it seemed like the thing to do.”

“Yeah, who asked you to stick your nose in any way!” yelled a voice in the background.

If Wade didn’t know any better, he would think she sounded a little like Zoe, but that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Before he had a chance to ask Cas about it, the security guy explained anyway.

“You did tell me you and the lady we helped out a few weeks ago were friendly these days, right?” he checked. “Because she could probably use a friend right about now.”

“Is she okay?” Wade asked worriedly. “Cas, what the hell happened?”

“She’s okay, I promise you. Hey, you know I wouldn’t let anything happen to her,” he swore. “Truth is she’s had maybe a few more cocktails than her fine little body was ready for. Michelle tried to slow her down but she didn’t exactly listen to good advice, and then she and this guy were getting a little... inappropriate on the dancefloor. I thought it’d be better if I cut in before things got outta hand.”

“I am a grown woman!” Zoe yelled from somewhere else in the room. “I should not be treated this way by stupid male men!”

Wade winced at the tone she was using and the slur in her words. He had never actually experienced drunk Zoe before, but if he had to guess, he would say that’s what Cas had on his hands right now. Knowing just how strong-willed she could be when sober, Wade did not relish the thought of dealing with her in this state, but it was like Cas said, she needed somebody to take care of her, and clearly, there was nobody else willing.

“Pete took out the rest of the guys tonight, so I’ll have to get a cab, but I’ll be there, Cas,” he said, thinking fast. “Uh, just keep her safe, okay?”

“You know I will,” his friend promised as they needed their call.

The next twenty minutes was a blur for Wade as he threw on a jacket and shoes, rushed out to hail a cab, and paid extra for the driver to put the pedal to the metal, at least as much as the New York traffic would allow.

Arriving at the club, he was ushered in ahead of the line by one of Cas’ guys and led straight through to the back where the man himself was trying to reason with what seemed to be an unreasonable Zoe, while a woman, presumably Michelle, tried to assist.

“What is this place? A club or a nursery school? I am _not_ a child!” Zoe said crossly.

“Not in that dress you ain’t,” said Wade, making his presence known.

“Hey, it’s Wade!” Zoe exclaimed too happily, rushing forward on her too-high heels and practically falling against him.

“Girl, you are drunk as a boiled owl,” he said, holding her steady. “What you been doin’ to yourself?”

“Question is, what would you like to do to myself?” she said, with an over-the-top wink of her eye.

Wade swallowed hard and put his focus on the other people in the room or a moment.

“Okay. So, thank you, Cas, Michelle. I really appreciate your help here,” he told them with an awkward smile.

“No problem, man,” his friend told him.

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Michelle rolled her eyes. “Just take care of her, okay?” she told Wade with a look before leaving the room, presumably to return to her real work.

“You need help getting her to the car?” Cas asked Wade.

“I got her,” he assured his buddy, even if it wasn’t easy keeping Zoe on her feet when she seemed determined not to try all that hard. “Thanks again, man.”

“It’s all good,” said Cas, patting him on the shoulder as he left Wade and Zoe alone.

“Hmm, I thought they’d never leave” said Zoe, reaching both arms up around Wade neck and pulling his head down so she could kiss him.

There were a few seconds there where Wade forgot she was drunk, even though she tasted distinctly of too many mixed drinks. Kissing Zoe was no bad thing and it would be so easy to get lost in the moment. Of course, that would lead to no good in the long run and he knew it.

“Okay, then,” he said, very deliberately pulling away.

At the same time, he couldn’t completely leave go of Zoe, because she was likely to end up in a heap on the floor if he did. Holding her by the shoulders, he ensured she was steady enough, but also made sure she couldn’t get any closer. It was for the best, though as he looked at her stood there in a pretty revealing dress, staring up at him with something distinctly like bedroom eyes, it was tough to remember why he had to be so damn decent with this girl.

“Think it’s time we got you home, Zoe Hart,” he told her, reaching to open the door.

“Sounds like a plan,” she said, with a look that was unmistakable.

Wade tried to ignore it as he guided her out through the office door and onward through the club. They made it out into the fresh air, something Wade really hoped would assist in sobering Zoe up, even if it was a very brief interlude before they were in the cab. Making sure she was strapped in, he gave the driver her address and then just concentrated on making Zoe she didn’t throw up or anything like that.

“You feelin’ okay?” he asked when she got quiet, her head lolling around with every shift of the car.

“Blurry,” she admitted, heaving a sigh. “My dad sucks!” she declared then, loudly and without any further explanation. “He really, really does.”

“Okay.” Wade nodded, unsure what else to say.

“I’ll bet your dad is great,” she said then, turning to look at him. “Is he great?”

“What, old Earl? Uh, great is not the word I would use,” said Wade scratching the back of his head.

Maybe now wasn’t the time to explain that his father had, for quite some time, been known as ‘Crazy Earl’, the town drunk. He did better at keeping sober more recently, but Wade couldn’t really describe him as ‘great’ by any means. He also wasn’t willing to talk about anybody else’s mistakes with alcohol while Zoe was in this state either.

“Well, my dad sucks. All men suck,” she declared then. “Except you,” she said, giggling some as she reached across to Wade, her fingers crawling across his chest. “You’re a nice guy, Wade,” she told him, leaning heavily on his shoulder.

It was a funny thing. Not many people ever described him quite like that, certainly not girls he dated. It wasn’t that Wade didn’t consider himself perfectly decent and all, he’d been raised right and everything, and where Zoe was concerned, he supposed he had been a gentleman when it counted. The problem was, if she kept on acting the way she was right now, he was going to get stupid, be a less nice guy, and just give in to temptation already.

It was actually a relief when the cab suddenly came to a halt outside of Zoe’s building, putting a stop to their conversation and wherever it might have been headed. Wade made a break for it out of the door, paying the driver some more cash, then running around to the other side to open Zoe’s door for her and unclip her seatbelt that she seemed to be struggling with. He held out his hand for her to take and tried to guide her carefully from the cab. Of course, that didn’t work so well, the heel of her shoe catching on the kerb as she tried to stand and breaking off completely. She landed in a heap on the pavement and promptly bust up laughing.

Wade looked from her to the building to the cab driving away and back again.

“Yeah, this is just great,” he told himself, leaning down to try and pick Zoe up.

She seemed more willing about that than he was really going for, looping her arms around his neck and seemingly expecting him to sweep her up bride-style. Wade figured it wasn’t the worst idea in the circumstances and wasn’t exactly surprised to find Zoe weighed next to nothing in his arms. He easily carried her over to the building, awkwardly helped her find the key to get them inside, and headed on to the elevator.

Five minutes later, they were outside her apartment door, where another awkward key situation ensued that sent Zoe into further fits of giggles, and then, finally, he got her to the couch and set her down. Unfortunately, just when Wade was trying to extricate himself from her grasp, Zoe just held on tighter.

“Where are you going?” she asked, all girlish and sweet. “You just got here, don’t leave,” she urged him.

“Zoe, sweetheart, I really don’t think you wanna start this right now,” he told her, pulling her arms loose and backing up a step. “You should really get some sleep.”

“On the couch?” she asked, looking down at where she was. “Noo!” she exclaimed then, getting up onto wobbly legs and staggering away.

Wade assumed she was going to bed, which was the best thing for her, of course, but he was worried about her falling and seriously hurting herself, so he had to follow. This really was not how he saw his first visit to Zoe’s bedroom, but there wasn’t much of a choice in the matter as far as Wade could tell. By the time he got to the door, Zoe had kicked off both shoes - the whole one and the broken one - and was doing her damndest to wriggle out of her dress too.

Muttering curses, Wade turned his back and wished he could make some kind of escape. Actually, he wished he had less decency about him than he actually did. If Zoe was any other woman, just some random willing woman from a bar, then things could be so different, but she wasn’t. She was Zoe. She was special, he had said so enough times already, and that meant he really, really did not want to screw this up.

“Wade?”

He turned at the sound of his name without thinking it through and there she was, in nothing but her underwear and a seductive kind of a smile.

“Zoe...”

“You look nervous,” she said, tripping towards him with a giggle on her lips. “I never thought the great Wade Kinsella would be nervous about...”

“Zoe, please. I am begging you, do not finish that sentence, and please God, just... just get in your bed and go to sleep already,” he told her, eyes going to the ceiling because it was so much safer to be looking up than down right now. “ _Please_.”

“You know, I thought you were different,” she said, sounding hurt and angry, but thankfully moving away from him as far as he could tell. “Men are all the same. Fathers, boyfriends, everybody. They don’t care. They say that they do, but they’re all liars!” she declared loudly, even as she climbed into her bed.

Wade felt it was safe to look then, glancing at Zoe just in time to see her lean down and grab one shoe from the floor, pitching it at him with a force. Thankfully, she was a lousy shot and it sailed pointlessly past his head, hitting the door with a thunk.

“Go away, Wade!” she told him then, tears streaming down her face. “If you don’t want to make anything better, just go!”

With that, Zoe threw herself down amongst her pillows and blankets and cried like her heart was breaking. It broke Wade’s heart too, just to see and hear her be so upset, but there was nothing he could do for her right now. The one thing she wanted from him was the one thing he simply couldn’t give her, not like this. In the morning, she would hate him for it, even more than she seemed to hate him now. If he tried to be kind, she was either going to throw more stuff or try to drag him into her bed again, and at this point, he might just be stupid enough to give in if it’d make her happy.

“I’m sorry, Zoe,” he said instead, turning to go. “I hope you feel better in the morning.”

Wade had intended to leave entirely, but when he reached the front door, he turned back. The state Zoe was in, well, he didn’t think she would do anything too stupid, but there were no guarantees. Besides, she could get sick yet, or try to get out of bed after he was gone and hurt herself falling down again.

With a sigh, he headed for the couch, threw himself down along the length of it, and pulled the blanket from the back to cover him. It was not comfortable and doubtless he would get very little sleep, but at least if Zoe needed help, he was there. It was the best he could do for now.


	11. Chapter 11

Zoe woke up to someone using her brain as a drum, which they were playing very, very loudly. At least, that’s what it sounded and felt like when she picked her heavy head up from the pillow and tried to figure out what the hell happened last night. She didn’t remember much at first, certainly not how she got home. The room was her own, however, which was somewhat of a relief, and she was alone, which was even better.

Sitting up straighter and pushing her hair back off her face, the covers fell away from Zoe’s body and she felt cold. She looked down with bleary eyes to see she was still wearing her underwear but nothing else. Her hand came away from her face smeared in last night’s make-up and her dress was dumped haphazardly on the floor.

“Okay, no more alcohol, ever,” she said out loud, immediately regretting it since even her own voice at a normal volume sounded way too loud.

Moving to get out of bed, Zoe’s co-ordination was the worst it had ever been, and as her legs caught in the sheets, she found herself falling, landing in an ungainly heap on the carpet.

“Oh God,” she groaned pathetically, attempting to pick herself up.

She moved a whole lot faster when she realised she heard footsteps coming towards her room and then the door was flying open and she was no longer alone.

“What the hell?!” she exclaimed, wincing all over again as her own yelling made her head pound harder.

“What the hell is right, doc,” said Wade, crouching down to her level. “You’re seriously not a morning person, huh?”

Zoe pulled at the tangled bedsheet, covering as much of herself as she could manage, her mind racing as she looked at the guy in front of her. For all the effort she put into trying, she really could not remember last night, at least, nothing concrete beyond going out to the club and ordering drinks.

Damn her father for being an ass and making her level of self-worth drop below zero. Damn the bartender for continuing to serve her when she was clearly way past drunk. Damn Wade for being so cheerful and attractive first thing in the morning when Zoe herself looked and felt like death.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, almost afraid of what the answer might be.

“You don’t remember?” he checked, tilting his head as he stared at her.

“Would I be asking if I did?” she countered crossly, trying to get up and finding she still couldn’t with the covers all caught up around her limbs.

She would rather not have needed Wade’s assistance but couldn’t really deny she did when he tried to help her out. Eventually, she was on her feet, the bedsheet wrapped around her toga-style, and her stomach rolling around like it was trying to decide whether to escape her body or not. Zoe tried not to think about that last part.

“Look, you seem like you could use some time to freshen up,” said Wade, suddenly looking awkward somehow. “I, uh... I’ll go put on some coffee while you hit the bathroom, then we’ll get to talkin’ about what the hell happened last night, okay?”

Zoe took a moment for her fuzzy brain to process all of that and then she carefully nodded.

“Okay,” she agreed, heading past Wade towards the door. She stopped before she got too far and looked back at him. “One thing I have to know. Last night, you and me, we, uh...”

“Don’t worry, doc,” he told her, shaking his head. “I’m still waitin’,” he promised her.

Zoe smiled at that, it was tough not to, even though she felt pretty damn lousy. Until she heard the whole story, she couldn’t know exactly what had happened last night, but at least she knew now she hadn’t done something she might regret. Not that sleeping with Wade would be a bad thing exactly, but forgetting all about it by the morning? That would definitely suck!

* * *

Though he had done the decent thing by Zoe last night, Wade couldn’t say he was exactly looking forward to explaining her own behaviour to her when she got out of the shower. After all, she was bound to feel foolish when she heard how she had been acting, and while Wade could save her blushes and just not tell her, he had a feeling Zoe would not go for that somehow.

Besides, he had to explain how he got into her apartment and why he stayed. Also, she may wonder when her clothes came off and he wasn’t taking the blame for even that much of what almost occurred between them.

After he put on the coffee machine, Wade started raiding the fridge and kitchen cabinets, hoping to make Zoe a decent breakfast. She didn’t seem to keep much in that wasn’t a microwaveable dinner or candy, but a quick dash to the corner store was all it took for him to have everything he needed. By the time Zoe was done in the bathroom, he had bacon and eggs in the pan, bread in the toaster, water, coffee, and orange juice all lined up on the counter, and a smile on his face.

“Hey now, Zoe Hart,” he said as she wandered into the kitchen in an over-sized Yale sweatshirt, sweatpants, and bare feet. “You feelin’ better?”

“Just barely,” she admitted, heaving herself onto the nearest stool and leaning her head on her hand. “Why do people drink alcohol? I mean, seriously, why?”

Wade didn’t really think she really wanted or needed an answer to that, so he didn’t give one, just served up her breakfast and encouraged her to eat.

“I couldn’t find any painkillers,” he admitted, scratching the back of his head.

“Bathroom, already taken of,” Zoe confirmed. “Thank you for this,” she said then of the food he laid before her and the drink choices to go along with. “You didn’t have to.”

“All part of the Wade Kinsella service, ma’am,” he assured her, leaning on the counter across from her. “Seriously, Zoe, you doin’ okay there?”

“I’ll live,” she promised, finding him a half a smile as she picked up her fork and stabbed at the eggs. “So, last night,” she said, taking a small bite. “I remember being very mad at my dad. I remember getting dressed up and going out. I remember drinks. After that, a whole lot of fuzzy nothing,” she admitted, waving her fork around. “Did I meet you at the club? Was it...? It wasn’t a date, right?”

“It was not,” Wade confirmed. “You did call me, but my phone died. I keep forgetting this newfangled one doesn’t last as long without a charge. By the time I found the message, it was pretty late, then Cas called me.”

“Cas?” Zoe echoed, looking confused. “The security guy from the club?”

“That’d be him. Seems he was worried about you, called me to come pick you up, get you home safe. You were every kind of drunk, doc. We’re talking all out crazy type of hammered.”

“Crazy?” she checked.

“Crazier than a bag of frogs,” Wade told her too seriously.

“Wow, that must’ve been so attractive,” she said, putting down the fork and hiding her face in her hands. “I am so sorry, Wade.”

“Don’t worry on it,” he assured her, pouring more coffee into her cup, for something else to do, to be honest. “Besides, you were attractive enough, especially when we got back here.”

Zoe’s fingers parted in front of her eyes when he said that and she peered at him with something akin to nervous curiosity.

“Oh God,” she said shakily. “What did I do? No, wait, I don’t want to know,” she said, covering her face again. “I’m such a mess!”

Wade did so hate to see her suffering like this. It had been bad enough the night before when she was wasted, but at least she seemed happy then, and really into the idea of dragging him into her bed. Now she was so sad and seemingly ashamed of herself, that was the last thing he wanted for Zoe.

“Hey,” he said, prising her hands gently away from her face and making her look at him. “You think I haven’t done my share of actin’ crazy when I was drunk? ‘Cause, doc, I am here to tell you, I absolutely have. A lot of people have, so don’t go beatin’ yourself up over it, you know, just maybe don’t make a habit of it,” he advised. “So, you got a little drunk one time and you got a little... looser than you usually are,” he said, delicately as he could, “but it all worked out, didn’t it? I got you into your bed, by yourself, and I slept on the couch, you know, just in case.”

“Just in case?” she echoed.

“Well, you’re the doc, doc,” he reminded her with a smirk. “Bad things can happen to unattended drunks, right?”

“Right,” she said, nodding carefully. “Thank you, Wade, and I don’t just mean for staying over to make sure I was okay,” she told him, meeting his eyes. “Translating what you said just now, I’m guessing I... I made you an offer that you could’ve easily not refused?”

“Sweetheart, you don’t know how much I wanted to not be a good guy last night when you were standin’ there in nothin’ much and tryin’ every trick you had to get me into bed,” he said seriously, “but I figured that’d be the start and the end of this thing we have goin’. I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for this to be over yet, not by a long shot.”

Wade wasn’t usually so good with the grand gestures or the fancy speeches, but he figured he was doing okay on this occasion when Zoe suddenly smiled at him. Next thing he knew she was leaning forward and planting a kiss on his cheek.

“You’re a really good guy, Wade Kinsella,” she told him softly. “Thank you, for everything you just said, and everything you _didn’t_ do last night,” she said pointedly.

“You’re more’n welcome, Zoe Hart,” he told her, with a smile. “Now, I need to make use of your facilities and then I gotta make a call. I will be back in ten minutes or less, and by then I expect you to have eaten all those eggs and bacon, and drunk down all your coffee, okay? Come on, girl, get into it,” he urged her, as he walked by her to the door.

“You’re bossy in the mornings, cowboy,” she called over her shoulder, though she also picked up her fork and tried to eat some more too.

“Get used to that,” he told her, before the bathroom door closed in his wake.

Zoe laughed, putting her hand over her mouth so her food didn’t fall out. She really wasn’t used to waking up to find a guy in her apartment, and honestly, she hadn’t been too thrilled to do so this morning, until Wade explained everything.

She had made such a fool of herself last night, but Wade had been the perfect gentleman, apparently. Not only had he got her home safe, rejected her drunken advances, and stayed over to make sure she was okay, he had also made her breakfast, explained everything to her patiently, and still seemed interested in her, even though he had seen her at her worst. That all had to mean something. Mostly, Zoe was pretty sure it meant there was a whole lot more to Wade Kinsella than the internet ever told her after they first met. She knew that much already, but now, she was kind of bowled over by how great he really was.

By the time Wade got back from the bathroom, Zoe had eaten just about as much as she could stand of the breakfast he had made her and downed two cups of strong black coffee, as well as some water. He seemed impressed with her efforts and had no problem with tidying up the kitchen for her either.

“So,” he said, as he washed the dishes. “You wanna talk about what sent you on some crazy drinking binge in the first place? I mean, you don’t have to-”

“My dad,” Zoe told him straight, not really minding sharing if he was willing to listen. “He just... It became very clear to me yesterday that he really does not care about me, at all,” she said, hating the quiver that came into her voice before she was ever done speaking. “It sucks a lot when you realise something like that.”

Wade dried his hands on the dishtowel and came back over to Zoe, sitting down on the stool beside her and pulling her into his arms as she cried.

“Wish I knew what to say when stuff like this happens,” he said with a sigh. “Truth is, I just don’t. All I do know is that if there is anybody is this world who does not see what an amazing person you are, Zoe Hart, then that person is a fool, even if he is your daddy.”

Somehow, those words only made her want to cry harder, but Zoe also gained comfort from Wade’s arms around her, his hand rubbing her back as he tried to calm her down. He didn’t know anything about her family situation, but he was on her side instinctively. That might be misguided but it was also kind of beautiful, Zoe thought.

“Come on, Zoe,” he said softly, kissing her hair. “No more tears now. Pretty sure he’s not worth it anyhow.”

“You know, what?” she said, sniffing hard as she lifted her head to look at him. “You’re probably right. I’ll bet your dad is a nice guy.”

“He’s not so bad.” Wade shrugged, realising this conversation was becoming a little bit of repeat from last night, though Zoe wouldn’t remember that. “Bet your ass he would just love you.”

“Tell me about him,” she said, wiping her face clean of tears with the back of her hand. “I’d love to hear more about your family and Bluebell and everything. I mean, unless you have someplace you need to be...?”

“I don’t,” Wade assured her, gently moving her hair off her face. “I can be here just as long as you want me to be, sweetheart.”

Zoe smiled at that, hopping down from her stool and putting out a hand for Wade to take. As soon as he took hold, she led him back through to the living room where they curled up comfortably on the couch together.

“Alright then,” said Wade, holding Zoe against him. “Now, put on your listenin’ ears, because there are tales aplenty to be told about good ol’ Bluebell...”

Zoe settled in to hear all of Wade’s small-town stories, feeling safe and comforted in his arms. Honestly, she was pretty sure she had never felt so comfortable in her whole life.


	12. Chapter 12

Zoe woke up from what felt like the best sleep she had had in a really long time, surprised to find she wasn’t actually in her bed and it wasn’t exactly morning. She was also distinctly not alone, though her memory quickly caught up to her in time to let her know that nothing had really happened here. Nothing except Wade being the most amazing guy she had ever met in her life.

A smile curved Zoe’s lips as she curled a little further into his side and let her eyes fall shut again. He was still sleeping yet, so maybe she could get away with doing the same for a little while longer.

It was crazy to think about how they met and all that Zoe had thought of Wade Kinsella, only for them to end up like this, having spent a whole night in the same apartment, and much of the day sleeping together, without anything but literal sleeping having happened at all.

In between, there had been breakfast, comfort and sympathy, and then a long talk in which Wade mostly regaled Zoe with stories of life growing up in Bluebell, Alabama, and she had chipped in the occasional happy memory from her own younger days. Of course, she had also shared why she had gone out and got so drunk last night and why she had such terrible daddy issues. That had brought on tears she had been so determined not to shed and yet was unable to keep at bay. Even then, Wade hadn’t abandoned her, hadn’t made light of her problems, just held her when she got upset, rubbed her back and told her anybody who didn’t care about her had to be a prize idiot.

Curled up in his arms, right here on the couch, Zoe couldn’t remember anything after that and was sure it was when she had fallen asleep. Comfortable and probably exhausted from the night before, clearly Wade had dropped off too, and here they were still, holding on to each other, trusting each other. Zoe couldn’t think of anywhere she would rather be than this.

“You really are something special, Wade Kinsella,” she said softly, tilting her head to look up at his face, almost strangely angelic in sleep.

Reaching up, Zoe planted a kiss on his cheek, feeling just a little bad when she realised he was stirring.

“Oops,” she said guiltily as his eyes flickered open and he glanced down at her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“No problem, doc,” he promised her, smiling slowly as he stretched out his free arm. “’Sides I should be the one apologising for falling asleep on you.”

“Pretty sure I started it,” Zoe admitted, smiling up at him. “It was actually kind of nice, wasn’t it?”

“No complaints here,” Wade agreed, leaning down to steal a kiss for himself. “You feelin’ better now?”

“Oh yeah,” said Zoe, nodding definitely. “So much better. Thanks, Wade, for... everything.”

“Like I said, no problem,” he assured her. “What kind of a person would I be if I hadn’t taken care of you when you needed it?”

“A normal person?” Zoe suggested. “I mean, around here, and in my life in general, there haven’t exactly been a lot of people that cared that much. I certainly don’t know many guys that wouldn’t have... you know, when it was being offered,” she said, just a little awkward in saying it.

“Yeah, well, like I told you before, that was the toughest part in all this,” Wade admitted easily, “but there was no way in hell I was screwing this up, Zoe Hart, not now.”

“I’m really glad you didn’t,” she said, smiling widely and leaning in until her lips met his in another exhilarating kiss.

If Zoe had felt better than she currently did, she might’ve made Wade a whole new offer that he would’ve felt better about taking her up on. After all, late in the day as it was, she was the better part of sober and completely in control of what she was doing this time. Okay, maybe not in entire control of what she was feeling, because Wade was very good at this stuff, but she knew she wanted this, wanted him. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea, she thought, just as Wade pulled away.

“Uh, I think maybe I should be headin’ out,” he said, shaking his head as if coming out of a daze.

“Already?” asked Zoe sadly.

“Already?” he echoed, smiling some. “You seen that clock right there? I’ve been here more’n twelve hours already.”

Zoe whipped her head around so fast she actually felt a little motion sick, but she found that Wade was absolutely right. It was past two in the afternoon and she guessed he probably brought her home sometime after midnight. Twelve hours together and nothing more than a few kisses. That still blew her mind, and right now, it disappointed her just a little too, even though she knew she ought to know better.

“You gonna be okay by yourself?” Wade asked as she looked back at him.

“Sure,” she said, nodding her head. “Uh, I’m working a late shift tonight, so I have until eleven to be fully recovered. I should be fine.”

“Should be?”

“Will be,” she promised, finding it hard not to smile at his look of concern. “I promise if I’m not feeling well enough to go, I will call in sick. Come on, I’m a doctor. I know when I’m fit for work and when I’m not,” she reminded him.

“Good enough for me.” Wade nodded once, stealing one last kiss before he got up from the couch and pulled on his jacket ready to leave.

Zoe followed him to the door, glad to note the room didn’t spin when she got up and she wasn’t feeling sick as she crossed the room. She probably would be fine for work later and, honestly, most of the reason was Wade. He truly had taken care of her and treated her with respect and, dare she think, love. Zoe so had not been expecting that, not because she didn’t trust Wade exactly, more because she had never known anyone like him before.

“You take care of yourself now, you hear me?” he said as he opened the door to go.

“I promise.” Zoe smiled. “And thank you, again, for everything.”

“It was my absolute pleasure, doc,” he told her, grinning right back at her. “I’ll call you.”

“You better,” she insisted, as they waved goodbye to each other and then he was gone.

Zoe closed the door behind Wade and then turned to lean her back against it, a big giddy smile still filling her face.

“I’m dating an up-and-coming rockstar who is hotter than the sun and treats me like a lady even when I’m acting like an idiot,” she said to herself, before bursting into loud laughter and happy dancing all the way back to the couch.

Sure, things with her dad were well and truly wrecked, her mother could be a pain in the butt, as could her friends, and work exhausted her as much as it fulfilled her, but Zoe had to admit, her life was pretty damn good right now, and she didn’t mind admitting that Wade Kinsella was a significant part of that.

* * *

“I’m not sayin’ she ain’t worth some effort, man,” said Clayne, hooking his arm around Wade’s neck as if contemplating whether to hug him or strangle him, “but she ain’t the only girl in the world, and some of them are way easier to handle, if you know what I mean?” he said with an over-the-top wink.

“Pretty sure everybody always knows what you mean, Clayne,” his friend assured him, though he didn’t comment on the rest of what his buddy had said.

Wade wasn’t entirely comfortable in explaining him and Zoe to anybody else, least of all the guys in the band. They were all good friends and everything. There wasn’t a bad bone in any of the guys in Sippin’ Whiskey, it was just that they didn’t behave in a way that Wade wanted to pursue anymore. He couldn’t judge their skirt-chasing, beer-drinking, crazy ways, because he used to be exactly like them, but then he met Zoe and something just changed.

“Hey, I absolutely get it,” said Mark then, most of his focus on the hand mirror he was looking into as he fixed his hair from the headphones he’d been wearing too long. “I ever find that one woman I wanna commit to, I will give up everything for her. I just never met her yet,” he said shrugging easily.

“Nah, but he sure is tryin’ hard to find her by hittin’ on every woman in the whole state of New York.” Jordan laughed, getting a sock in the arm for his trouble. “Hey, I ain’t judgin’, man. We’re all in the same place right now, ‘cept for Wade, o’ course.”

“Wade Kinsella, a one-woman man.” Clayne shook his head. “Never thought I’d live to see the day.”

“Yeah, well, truth be told, you and me both,” Wade agreed, “but it is what it is, and for so long as Zoe Hart wants me around, it’s her I’m gonna be with. No chasin’ around after other women, being that young scallywag I used to be. You find quality like that, quantity stops mattering.”

“She is awful short from what I seen of her,” Jordan considered.

“That ain’t what he meant, fool!” Mark insisted, rolling his eyes. “He meant one woman is enough, if she’s the right woman. Seems this Dr Zoe is the right woman for Wade.”

“And I personally don’t think he could’ve chosen any better,” said Bradley, returning to the studio space from the hallway, clearly having caught only the last part of the conversation. “Now, gentlemen, I think we have made good work of those two tracks we needed to work on today, so it’s probably about time you were all headed home, get some rest, we will start bright and early again tomorrow.”

As Mark, Clayne, and Jordan packed up to go, Wade lingered a moment, catching Bradley by himself and lowering his voice when he talked to the guy.

“What you said about me choosing Zoe and all. You known her a good long while?”

“Few years.” Bradley nodded, smiling a little too much in Wade’s opinion. “Actually, we went out a couple of times, but don’t freak out on me, Kinsella, it was a long while back and we decided pretty fast we were better off staying friends.”

Wade wasn’t sure how he was supposed to take that. After all, he knew Zoe was beautiful, smart, fun, and everything a guy with a brain and a liking for the female of the species should want. He also knew that as far as guys went, Bradley would be kind of a catch too, so why exactly would it not work out between him and Zoe?

“Truth is,” said Bradley then, looking only at his cell that he was messing around with yet and never at Wade, “I had just broken up with my girlfriend and, well, Zoe wasn’t Lauren.”

“Lauren?” Wade echoed. “Isn’t that...?”

“My fiancée?” Bradley nodded. “Yep, she is. See, I already met my ideal woman before Zoe ever came into the picture, and that’s a good thing, because that left her available to find her ideal man,” he said, clapping Wade on the shoulder.

“Ideal might be pushin’ it a little, but we’re gettin’ along pretty good.”

“I don’t doubt it,” said Bradley with a smile. “You just make sure you treat her right, because Zoe is a special one, I know that much.”

“Yes, she is,” said Wade, turning away to pack up his guitar ready to leave.

He was half way done when a thought occurred to him. Bradley didn’t just know Zoe, he knew Candice too, and he had known the both of them for some years. Much as he knew he probably shouldn’t, Wade couldn’t help but want to ask Bradley a couple of questions that were playing on his mind.

“You know much about Zoe’s daddy?”

“Ah, the other Dr Hart,” said Bradley, finally stuffing his cell in his pocket and giving Wade his full attention. “I met him once at a party, but I couldn’t say that I really know him or anything. I know Zoe loves him to death but she doesn’t see too much of him. Far as I can tell, great doctor, lousy father.”

“Yeah, I got that impression too,” Wade agreed with a sigh. “I’ll give her a thumbs up for her mom though. Candice is pretty intense, but she helped me out a lot when she got us signed up with you, man.”

Bradley grinned and gabbed Wade’s hand to shake. “Hey, she did me the favour. You guys are going to be the next big thing, I just know it. I’ll see you tomorrow, Wade.”

“Yes, sir, you will,” he agreed, smiling widely as he left the studio.

Wade had to admit, his life was pretty damn good right now, and he didn’t mind admitting that Zoe Hart was a significant part of that.


	13. Chapter 13

“Hey, thanks, Tucker, that really helps me out,” said Wade gratefully as he scribbled down the last of his friend’s restaurant recommendations. “I know I coulda just checked any old online review site or whatever, but I ain’t lookin’ for places that New Yorkers think are good. Needed the opinion of somebody I trust.”

“And somebody who knows you can’t read a menu unless it’s all in English,” his good buddy George chuckled in his ear. “So, I’m guessin’ this is all in pursuit of the lady doctor I’ve been hearin’ so much about?”

Wade wasn’t sure why he was surprised to realise that word had got around town about him and Zoe. Sure, he only told Lavon that one time, but that was all it took in good old Bluebell. You tell one person anything, might as well have told them all. News like that went through town faster than grass through a goose.

“I don’t know if pursuit’s the word you’re looking for,” said Wade with a grin he couldn’t help. “We’re pretty much in the pursued and all-but caught part of things right now.”

“And yet, you’re still dating her?” said George sceptically. “Well, now, I’m starting to think maybe Lavon was right when he said you were serious about this one. I gotta admit, I did not see that comin’, especially not with the career you chose.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t see it comin’ either,” said Wade honestly. “You know me, Tucker, not exactly the one-woman-man type. That was always you, but... I don’t know, Zoe’s just different, man. She’s special.”

Wade knew he probably sounded like a sap saying all of that stuff, but it was true. Besides, if anybody was going to understand, it was George. He was what you might call a serial monogamist, very much serious about whichever one woman he was dating at a time. He and Lemon had been together fifteen years before they called it quits, and even then, it hadn’t exactly been George’s choice. Though Wade had tried to convince his friend to give casual dating a try, it had never worked out, and now came the real role reversal as Wade got serious with a woman for the first time in his life. Nope, nobody had seen that coming at all, least of all Wade himself.

“Well, surprised as I am to hear you found somebody that means that much to you, Wade, I am also all kinds of happy for ya,” George assured him. “You know, all anybody down here wanted for you when you went off to New York was success in everything you did. That didn’t just mean your music either. I think it’s great that you found somebody you can be serious about.”

“Thank you, Tucker,” he said, genuinely a little moved by his friend’s touching speech. “Uh, so, when I take Zoe to one of these here restaurants, I’ll be sure to tell her it was another recommendation from you. Who knows, maybe you could come visitin’ here sometime and she could fix you up with one of her girl-friends?”

He wasn’t entirely serious in the suggestion, not least because the two friends of Zoe’s that Wade had met so far were nothing like Zoe herself and certainly not George’s type, from what he could tell. Still, he was just a little surprised by how weird Tucker sounded when he responded to the offer.

“Uh, yeah, well... see, the thing is, when it comes to the whole serious relationship thing, I have kind of been seeing someone myself,” he explained, sounding just about as awkward as Wade ever heard him before. “And this is not easy to talk to you about.”

“Come on, Golden Boy, spit it out already,” Wade urged him. “Ain’t like you’re gonna tell me anythin’ awful like you took another man’s wife or some such.”

“Funny you should say that...” said George, putting an end to Wade’s laughter extremely quickly. “So, you remember not long before you headed up north, well, uh, Tansy had come on back to Bluebell...”

The cogs in Wade’s brain made a quick shift and suddenly everything clicked into place. He was surprised by what he realised must be happening, but if George Tucker was waiting for him to be mad about it, well then, he was a fool.

“You and Tansy?” he checked. “Same Tansy I used to be married to once upon a time?”

“And you’re mad about this.”

“Are you kiddin’ me? What do I have to be mad about, Tucker? Me and Tans gettin’ hitched was the stupidest thing two drunks on a boat ever did. Besides, it was a million years ago.”

“Try five, but I take your point,” said George, with an eyeroll Wade could practically hear. “So, you’re not mad?”

“Why do I need to be mad about anythin’?” asked Wade. “Seriously, George, as long as you treat her the way she deserves to be treated-”

“Which I absolutely do.”

“Then we don’t have a problem.”

There was such a big sigh of relief from George’s end of the call that Wade couldn’t help but laugh. It was crazy to think of his oldest friend dating his ex-wife, but crazier still for old George to think that he would care at all. Much as he loved Tansy, it had been clear for a long time to Wade that he never was in love with her, and he sure as hell wasn’t looking to get her back.

“Okay, so, I should get back to work,” said George then. “These cases aren’t gonna clear themselves.”

“And I got plans to make with a certain New York doctor that happens to think I am all kinds of amazin’,” said Wade with a grin.

“This Zoe really must be something special.” George laughed. “Take care of yourself, Wade.”

“You too, Tucker.”

Hanging up from his call home, Wade quickly went to messages and typed out a text to Zoe. When she didn’t reply after a while, he started to wonder if maybe she was working. Her schedule wasn’t exactly set in stone, any more than his was. Sometimes he wished it was as simple as the two of them being nine to five people, but of course, that would be boring as all hell. Still, it would help him better arrange a date and that would be no bad thing right about now. Wade supposed he would just have to wait his time until Zoe was free again, however long that took.

* * *

“Why?” Zoe complained as she looked at her cell the moment she got back to the break room at the end of her shift. “Why do you always text when I’m working?”

It wasn’t Wade’s fault and she knew it. Her hours and shift patterns were so random, especially lately, with the hospital often being short-handed and needing her when they might not usually do so. Plus, of course, Wade didn’t exactly have a regular kind of job with set hours either. Some days he was busy for almost twenty-four hours straight between the studio, playing a club, and working on new material in between. Other times, he had a whole day free and instead it was Zoe who was caught up with work.

The past few days they seemed to miss each other more often than they didn’t, texts being left hours without a reply, and call backs never quite happening. She hadn’t seen him in person for more than a week now, not since the day after her self-indulgent night out when she realised her dad was actively avoiding her.

“Not thinking about that,” Zoe reminded herself, typing out a reply to Wade’s latest text about wanting to take her out tomorrow night.

Zoe:  
Sorry, but I have the late shift tomorrow :(

Zoe:  
Maybe Friday?

She didn’t hold out much hope of getting a quick answer and yet the reply came just a few seconds later.

Wade:  
Wish I could, doc, but I got gigs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Zoe heaved a sigh then wrote a response to that one, hesitating before pressing send. If he was asking about tomorrow night, that probably meant tonight was already out of the question for some reason. Unless of course he just assumed she wouldn’t be free, which was why she was about to suggest it herself. Probably not a good idea, she decided, deleting her message and typing a new one to send.

Zoe:  
I don’t know my shifts for next week yet, sorry.

Wade:  
Not your fault. Just starting to feel like we’re never going to get that second date is all.

Zoe:  
I know what you mean :(

Zoe:  
I’m guessing you’re busy tonight?

Wade:  
Afraid so, doc :(

Wade:  
Let me know what happens with next week and we’ll fix something up.

Zoe:  
Okay :)

The smiley face emoji on the end of Zoe’s final message mocked her. She didn’t really feel like that at all, not even a little happy, knowing it would probably be another whole week before she saw Wade again. It was so crazy but she really missed him. He had been in her life such a short time but had become such a feature so fast. Zoe was not good at having things she really liked withheld from her.

“Maybe I’m spoiled,” she considered aloud, “but is it so bad to just really like the guy you’re dating?”

“If that’s a general question for the room, I’d say probably not.”

Zoe turned around so fast when she heard that, she almost threw her cell right across the break room. Her free hand was over her chest as she took a breath and realised she recognised the man leaning in the doorway, smirking at her state of shock.

“I met you before,” she recalled, pointing her finger. “Dr... Brewster?”

“Breeland,” he corrected her. “But you can just call me Jonah, Dr Hart.”

“Then I guess you can call me Zoe,” she told him politely as they shook hands. “I’m sorry, names are not my strong suit.”

“But talking to yourself clearly is,” he said with a grin. “Trouble with the boyfriend?” he guessed, tilting his head towards the phone in her hand, though clearly referring to what he heard her saying when he came in.

“Since I don’t actually have a boyfriend, then no,” she told him firmly. “Just a guy that I’m kind of dating.”

“Kind of dating?” Jonah echoed as he moved by her to pour himself a coffee. “Sounds pretty casual.”

“It is,” Zoe agreed. “Well, kind of,” she said then, realising immediately how very vague she was being, though she wasn’t sure why she was sharing anything with this guy anyway - she barely knew him.

“Personally, I always keep dating casual,” he told her, gesturing with the coffee pot to offer Zoe a cup, but she shook her head in the negative. “Way easier to deal with than serious relationships.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not really that kind of girl,” said Zoe definitely, recognising the gleam in his eye all too well. “So, if the next words out of your mouth are going to be any kind of offer to make me feel better about not being able to arrange a date with this guy,” she said, waving her cell, “that’s going to be a no, thank you.”

Jonah Breeland sighed and shook his head. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

Zoe laughed at that, collecting the rest of her things from the locker and closing it with a clang. “Goodnight, Dr Breeland,” she said deliberately formally.

“Goodnight, Dr Hart,” he replied in kind, mock-bowing as she headed out the door.

Zoe was still smiling as she left the hospital, waving goodbye to Marcy and a couple of other colleagues as she went. She had assumed Jonah Breeland was only passing through when she met him last week, but then he ended up being added to the team and seemed to get along really well with most people and with the work that needed to be done.

She could respect him as a decent doctor, and she was not going to lie and say she didn’t understand why some of the nurses got a little giddy when they were assigned to work alongside him, but there was no way she was falling for his Southern charm. Zoe was a one-guy-at-a-time kind of girl, and right now, that guy was Wade Kinsella. As she passed through the front doors of the hospital, Zoe glanced at her cell and sighed again.

“Of course, it’d be nice to actually see the one guy in my life once in a while,” she admitted sadly to no-one that was there. “Oh, well. Maybe next week."


	14. Chapter 14

“I cannot believe you’re still seeing that guy.” Gigi giggled into her mimosa. “Zoe Hart and the Southern rock guitar god. I so did not see that coming.”

“It’s not the way you’re making it sound,” Zoe insisted, rolling her eyes as she picked another piece off her bagel and popped it into her mouth. “Wade really isn’t the kind of guy you think he is... or maybe he was,” she considered, “but not anymore.”

“So, it’s even better than I thought,” said Gigi, eyes sparkling with fun. “You tamed the wild man of Alabama!”

“Shut up!” Zoe laughed, shoving her friend in the shoulder. “Stop trying to turn my relationship with Wade into a bad romance novel or a dirty movie or something. It is not like that.”

“Oh, come on, Zoe, it is _so_ like that,” said Gigi determinedly. “You talked about work for maybe a minute, you listened to me talk for five minutes max, and the rest of the time, it has been Wade this and Wade that. You’re obsessed!”

Zoe opened her mouth to protest, but as her mind wound back over the conversation so far, she realised there really was no way to argue with what Gigi was telling her. She supposed she had talked about Wade quite a bit, about the one date they had, about the night he saved her from her own stupidity and the day they spent together after, about Candice figuring things out regarding the band’s management and everything. It had been a very Wade-centric brunch considering the fact that he wasn’t actually there and Zoe hadn’t actually seen him in person for almost two weeks.

“I know it’s weird, but I really miss him,” she admitted, picking at her bagel some more but not really eating it at this point. “How is that possible when I’ve only known him a few weeks? God, we haven’t even slept together yet. What is my problem?”

“Maybe that is exactly your problem,” said Gigi, waggling her eyebrows and then busting up laughing at Zoe’s expression. “Come on, Zo, don’t you think that even you, Miss Prim and Proper when it comes to sex, is probably just looking for a little action and feeling antsy because you’re not getting it?”

“Okay, first, I am not so prim and proper about sex,” said Zoe, realising too late she was being a little loud in a public place and lowering her voice some. “You know as well as I do, I have slept with four different men in my life, _four_.”

“Wow, alert the media.” Gigi rolled her eyes.

“And second,” Zoe continued, unabashed by her friend’s teasing, after all, she was well used to it by now, “I do not just want Wade for... _that_ ,” she said pointedly. “Although I am sure he is very good at it, and when it happens it will not be disappointing, I do actually like him as a person too.”

“I’m very glad to hear that.”

Zoe was startled to look up and realise who had just joined them at the table.

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

Candice settled her purse in her lap and snapped her fingers until a server brought her a mimosa and a menu. “I was passing by and saw you through the window. How are you, Gigi?”

“Just fine, thanks,” she said with a grin. “Way less stressed than Zoe, that’s for sure.”

“I know, she’s feeling a little neglected by this Wade Kinsella.” Candice sighed as she reviewed the menu. “I told her, this is 2012. She does not need to sit around and wait for him to ask her out, she’s quite capable of asking him, if that’s what she wants.”

“Uh, excuse me, I’m sitting right here!” Zoe told both her friend and her mom, waving her hands around in their faces so they couldn’t miss her. “And I am not so stressed out about not seeing Wade,” she insisted. “Yes, I miss him and it would be nice to get to see him, but it’s not as if he hasn’t tried to arrange a date with me, it’s just that our schedules are fighting against us. Either he’s busy or I am lately,” she admitted sadly.

“Well then, perhaps you should get ahead of those schedules of yours,” Candice suggested, calling back the server to place her order, before turning back to Zoe and continuing with what she was saying. “I assume you’re not working tonight?”

“I am not,” Zoe agreed, “but Wade is busy,”

“Yes, he’s playing at a club,” Candice agreed. “I was talking to Bradley Carlton earlier and he mentioned it to me. I believe it was The Profile?”

“Ooh, I love that place!” Gigi enthused. “Zoe, we should go there tonight, surprise your man.”

Although Zoe didn’t love the idea and would much rather find a night when she and Wade were actually free at the same time to go on a real date to a restaurant or the movies or something, she supposed that at least this way she would get to see him in person. Texts and phone calls just weren’t cutting it anymore.

“I guess we could do that,” she said, finding a smile as she thought on the idea a little more. “Yeah, in fact, let’s definitely do that.”

* * *

As the band played the final chord of the song, Wade looked up at Bradley and wondered why their manager was looking so uncomfortable. After all, it was his idea to have Sippin’ Whiskey take a shot at this one, even though it was a little more ballad and a little less rock and roll than a lot of their usual stuff. Wade had argued at first, not because of the style of the song, but because it was his own work and not originally intended for anyone else’s ears. Bradley had come across him strumming it backstage before a gig a few nights back and asked why he never heard it before, then the whole story had come out.

“I’ve been working on it a while, off and on,” he had explained, just about as awkward as he had ever been about anything. “I had the lyrics in my pocket a while and a tune in my head but... well, it’s nothin’ I planned on sharin’ or anything like that. I mean, the guys know I write my own stuff sometimes. Personal, you know? I figure, we ain’t so much acoustic most of the time and... and honestly, I’m not sure how I’d feel havin’ to stand by while Mark sang it instead of me, you know?”

He wasn’t making much sense, Wade was well aware of that, but he had his reasons for what he was trying to say. Of course, things got clearer for Bradley when he asked Wade if he would play the whole song for him and he did. By the end, he was smiling so wide that Wade wondered if his face wouldn’t just split in two any second.

“So, it’s a song about Zoe,” he said with a look, not asking a question but making a statement of fact.

Wasn’t exactly as if Wade could’ve argued with him if he wanted to, because it was absolutely true. It was entirely a song for Zoe, not that she had ever heard it. Nobody had until that day, nobody was ever really supposed to, but then Bradley started talking about how it could be a hit, a little bit of something different for the band, and a great opportunity for Wade to prove his metal as a song writer.

“I know what you said about letting Mark sing lead like he usually would, but would you at least be willing to let him try it out? You can say no, I just think it could be great for the band.”

Wade meant to argue, he really did, and it wasn’t as if he wasn’t altogether good at fighting his own corner when he had to, but Bradley made a lot of good points, and honestly, Wade was pretty proud of the song he had written. Seemed a shame not to share it with the world.

Now, as the band practised the song one more time, Wade was just starting to feel a little more comfortable with Mark singing his lyrics for Zoe. Strangely, it was Bradley that seemed less happy about it at this point.

“You know, what?” he said, walking up to the stage. “I like it, I do, but there’s something that’s just not quite right. Mark, how would you feel about letting Wade sing lead on just this one song?”

There was practically an audible collective gasp from the rest of the band at the sound of that question. Wade was amazed that Bradley was even trying to get Mark to agree and was not looking forward to the explosion that followed. Seemed Clayne and Jordan were no less eager to be in the middle of it all, visibly backing off in the next few seconds.

“ _I_ sing lead,” Mark reminded Bradley, his pointer finger shoved in his own chest. “Always have, always will. That’s the way Sippin’ Whiskey was built.”

“Oh, absolutely, I understand that.” Bradley nodded. “But I was just thinking, for this one song, maybe we change things up a little. You know, it would give you that extra break between songs, and with all these gigs you guys have been playing lately, I think it’s for the best. I mean, we overwork those vocal chords and you end up out of action, then we’re really screwed. I’m just thinking of you, man,” said Bradley, clapping Mark on the back and smiling like the kindest, most considerate buddy there ever was.

Wade hid his smirk behind his hand, as well as the laugh that followed, when Mark suddenly found himself agreeing with Bradley’s plan. Grinning like a fool, he turned to glance at Wade and then at the rest of the band too.

“That cool with all o’ you?” he checked.

“Sure.” Jordan nodded.

“No problem here,” Clayne agreed.

“I’ll sing it, if it helps you out, man,” Wade promised him, biting his lip in the very next second to keep from smiling too much or all out laughing again.

The second Mark stopped looking at him, Wade glanced at Bradley and his manager tipped him a wink and a grin. He really was a good guy.

* * *

“I think I forgot how good they were!” said Gigi, yelling over the increasing volume of Sippin’ Whiskey’s latest song. “I absolutely forgot how hot your guy is. I mean, seriously, wow!”

Zoe only laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm, gazing up at the stage at the man in question. Wade really was so good to look at. There was no way Zoe had forgotten that, or any of his other positive attributes either, but she had missed him, so much. Unfortunately, for as long as he was up on stage, seeing him from afar was the best she could do. She only hoped that when the band grabbed a break, she would be able to get a few minutes of his time, but Zoe already knew it wouldn’t really be enough. She wanted a real date, a dinner, a lunch even, an afternoon or evening, better yet maybe even a night with Wade. Damn, she wanted it so much she could cry.

“Hey, could I at least have your attention while he’s on stage?” said Gigi, waving her hand in Zoe’s face.

“You brought me here so I could see him,” she reminded her friend. “Remember?”

“Could I forget?” Gigi rolled her eyes. “But I would also like to remind you that I do not currently have a guy in my life, so help a friend out, okay? You really think his band-mates are out?”

“Unless you’re looking for a one-night stand, I think so.” Zoe nodded. “Besides, if anybody was going to get the drummer to commit to more, I think it would’ve been Victoria.”

“Uh-uh, no chance,” said Gigi as she swallowed a large sip of her drink. “Vic moved on already. She and that guy at her work are totally having an inappropriate office relationship right now.”

Zoe made a face at the way her friend phrased it. “Ugh, I don’t think I could. I mean, dating someone you work with? That could get so complicated.”

“I didn’t say they were dating.” Gigi giggled. “Just being inappropriate in the workplace,” she said with a look.

“Sounds like fun to me,” said a new voice.

Zoe looked up fast and her eyes went wide when she realised who she was staring at.

“You,” she said, shaking her head. “Are you following me?”

“No, ma’am,” he promised her. “Just a lucky coincidence.”

Gigi turned on her stool to see who was there and smiled widely when she saw the man stood behind her.

“I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” she said smoothly, holding out a hand for him to shake. “Gigi Godfrey.”

“Jonah Breeland,” he replied, picking up her hand and raising it to his lips to kiss. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Jonah is a doctor at the hospital,” Zoe explained. “We work together.”

“Wait a second,” said Gigi, looking from Jonah to Zoe and back twice. “He’s not... You have two Southern gentlemen in your life by coincidence? He doesn’t know Wade?”

“No,” said Zoe at the same moment that Jonah said, “Sure, I do.”

“Hold on a second, you what now?” asked Zoe, shaking her head. “You do not know my boyfriend.”

Jonah followed suit and shook his head too. “I’m sorry, did you just call Wade Kinsella your boyfriend? Wow, things really have changed.”

Zoe opened her mouth to say something else, but never got the chance. Sippin’ Whiskey’s latest song had come to an end and Mark, the lead singer, instead of announcing a break, was explaining that it was only him who was stepping off the stage for now. Apparently, Wade was going to sing the next song.

“Wait, what?” Zoe gasped. “He never sings lead.”

“Apparently he does today.” Gigi shrugged, grabbing Zoe’s hand a second later and pulling her from her stool with such a force she almost fell. “Come on, you don’t wanna miss this!”

Zoe couldn’t even find a way to argue with her, because Gigi was absolutely right, she really did not want to miss it at all. They arrived in front of the stage just as Wade started strumming the opening chords of a much quieter song, though with all the people between him and Zoe, and the look of serious concentration on his face, she wasn’t surprised he didn’t notice her. It might have helped if she had warned him she was going to be here tonight, but Gigi had insisted that would spoil the surprise, and like a fool, Zoe had believed her.

Of course, all these thoughts and more completely evaporated from Zoe’s mind when Wade started to sing. She had heard him before, both with the band and by himself, but only ever little pieces of songs, nothing like this. His voice was as good in finding a melody as it was at any other time and he sang the words like he really meant them too.

It wasn’t hard for anyone who knew Wade or Zoe to realise the song was for her. Lyrics about dark hair, big brown eyes, and what sounded like a real sassy personality. Zoe didn’t think it made her fat-headed to assume it was about her anyway. She knew for sure when he hit the chorus and suddenly his eyes found hers across the crowded club.

In a lot of ways, it was a terrible cliche, but Zoe didn’t care. She was practically hypnotised as Wade continued to play and sing just for her, sincere in every note and every word, she was sure on that.

Though Gigi was bouncing at her side and crowds of people surrounded her still, Zoe just didn’t see or hear any of them. She only knew her guy up there on stage and had real tears in her eyes that she couldn’t control as Wade played the final notes of the song and smiled down at her. It really was as if nobody else existed in the whole place, despite the fact the club was packed out tonight, and just about everybody was suddenly applauding and cheering for Wade Kinsella.

Maybe Zoe ought to be proud of him, and later on, she probably would be, but for now she was just completely bowled over by how amazing Wade really was, how much he clearly cared about her. If what she was feeling for him wasn’t love, then Zoe had no idea what else to call it.


	15. Chapter 15

Wade only had eyes for Zoe as he finished performing the song he wrote with only her in mind. He handed off his guitar and hopped down off the stage, barely noticing any of the other adoring fans or whatever, as he headed straight for the only woman he was interested in these days.

“Hi,” said Zoe as he reached her.

“Hi, yourself,” he replied, wasting no time in pulling her closer and covering her lips with his own.

It really had been too long since they were in the same place at the same time. Yes, they had talked on the phone a couple of times and text a whole bunch, but they just never seemed to be able to fix a time and place where they were both available to meet up. If it was all on one side, maybe Wade would’ve thought Zoe was trying to get rid of him for some reason, but he had to let her down just as many times as she had to say she couldn’t make it. Now, finally, here she was, and damn, if he hadn’t missed her. Wade hoped she knew that by the time they parted, to the whooping and hollering of so many people all around them in the club.

“That was... amazing,” said Zoe, shaking her head, eyes wide with wonder.

“The kiss or the song?” asked Wade, smirking terribly.

“Honestly? Both,” Zoe admitted with laughter in her voice. “Did you...? I mean, not to be big-headed or anything...”

“Yes, Zoe,” he told her before she started to ramble too much. “The song was about you.”

The smile on her face was a mile wide when she heard that, even as the colour rose in her cheeks. Wade wasn’t sure if she was blushing because the song was for her or because all eyes were pretty much on them right about now. He suspected a little of both.

“Come on, doc,” he said then, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Let me buy you a drink, steady them nerves some,” he told her, as they moved through the crowds towards the bar. “Seems to me you’re a little overwhelmed right about now.”

“That is not untrue.” Zoe nodded. “Wade, you were just incredible up there. I mean, I knew you could play and sing, and you told me you wrote some of the songs along with the band, but that was... it was so different and just beautiful.”

“Well, I guess you could say that’s kinda how I see you,” he told her as they reached the bar and she pulled herself up onto a stool as he leaned on the bar beside her. “You are different to most people I have known in my life, and as for beautiful, well, sweetheart, there is nobody I know to compare.”

“That I’ll agree with.”

Wade looked past Zoe to the man stood on the other side, frowning at the interruption, before realising he recognised the face smiling back at him.

“Jonah Breeland?” he checked.

“The one and only. How’ve you been, Wade?”

“I’m doin’ good, man,” said Wade, moving around Zoe to shake Jonah’s hand. “What in the heck are you doin’ up here?”

“Seems as if your girlfriend and I are work-mates,” he said, tilting his head towards Zoe.

“He recently started working at the hospital,” she explained as Wade looked her way, seemingly flustered and even a little confused. “I’m sorry, you two actually know each other?”

“Well, sure,” Wade told her easily. “Jonah here is the nephew of our Dr Brick Breeland back home in Bluebell. You remember me tellin’ you about my buddy George Tucker?”

“The one who used to live in New York.” Zoe nodded. “Sure.”

“Well, George was, at one time, engaged to Lemon, who is Brick’s daughter and Jonah’s cousin.”

Wade thought he was being helpful until he saw that Zoe was blinking pretty fast.

“Okay,” she said eventually. “That’s... a lot of people and a lot of connections. How about we just go with you guys know each other and this is a wacky coincidence?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jonah chuckled. “So, can I get you two a drink or...?”

Wade opened his mouth to answer that, but Zoe was quick to cut in before he ever got the chance.

“That is really a very sweet offer, Jonah, but Wade and I have been trying to get some time alone for so long now. Would you mind if we had a drink together... without anybody else?”

There was a look in Jonah’s eyes as he glanced between them that Wade didn’t care for much, and then suddenly his eyes moved past them and he realised that Gigi was there too.

“No problem,” said Jonah, waving away any concerns. “Maybe I’ll ask Gigi here if she’d like a drink a little further down the bar, where we won’t disturb you two private little lovebirds,” he said with a smirk and no lack of sarcasm.

A minute later, he and a giggling Gigi had disappeared from view.

“What was that all about?” Wade asked Zoe, not sure yet that he really wanted an answer to that question.

“Nothing,” Zoe assured him. “Jonah is just... I don’t know how he was when you knew him, but at the hospital, he seems to think he’s God’s gift to all womankind.”

“Yeah, he always was a little that way,” Wade considered. “Not that I can judge exactly...” he admitted, trailing off when he realised he had the bartender’s attention and ordering drinks for himself and Zoe. “So, you and Jonah known each other long?”

“Couple of weeks.” Zoe shrugged. “Can we please not spend this time together talking about the annoying Dr Breeland?” she said then. “How about we talk about how much you have missed me these past two weeks?”

Wade smirked at that. “Baby, you oughta know I have missed the heck outta you. That hospital has been takin’ liberties with your time.”

“Yes, because your music career takes none of yours,” she reminded him with a look, though she was smiling enough to take the edge off.

“Touché,” Wade replied as they both picked up their drinks, him clicking his beer bottle against her Martini glass.

“So, I don’t know how things are for you this next week,” said Zoe then, placing her glass back down on the bar, “but it’s looking like I’m going to be free most of the weekend. Any chance you have a window for me in there somewhere, cowboy?” she asked, leaning in so close.

“You keep on lookin’ at me like that and I will punch a window clean through both days just for you, doc,” he promised her, stealing a kiss that she seemed more than happy to let him have. “Seriously though, I gotta talk to Bradley before I know for sure. We play most of our gigs Friday and Saturday nights, you know that, but we’re pretty much done recording for the album, so the studio shouldn’t be takin’ up too much of my time.”

“Well, that’s positive.” Zoe nodded. “And you know, it doesn’t have to be a night-time date. I’d settle for lunch, a coffee date even, anything where I actually get to be in close proximity to you for more than ten minutes.”

Wade couldn’t help the smirk that came over his face as a couple of less than clean thoughts ran through his head. “How close are we talkin’?” he asked them, licking his lips.

Zoe laughed and slapped his shoulder, though she didn’t actually answer the question. Rightly or wrongly, Wade took that as a positive sign.

“I had this idea to take you to some other fancy restaurant,” he confessed then. “George Tucker gave me some ideas on that, but I don’t know about gettin’ a reservation when neither one of us knows when and where we’ll be,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought on it. “You know, things would be so much easier in Bluebell.”

“Really?” Zoe asked, choking a little on the last of her Martini. “I can’t imagine being in Bluebell. I mean, all I really know is New York, or at least the northern half of the country. I guess I’m just a city girl.”

“And I’m a country boy, doc, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get along okay up here, at least, for now,” Wade told her. “I got an idea you’d like Alabama well enough if you gave it a chance, and small towns do have their charms. Now, it’s true that we only have the one fancy restaurant in Bluebell, and would you believe it is actually called Fancies?” he told her with a grin. “But if we were there and I wanted to take you someplace special, well, I guess I’d sooner pack up a lunch, drive you out someplace pretty, down by the lake maybe, and we’d have ourselves a real nice picnic instead of puttin’ on our fancy clothes and sittin’ in a restuarant.”

Wade hadn’t realised how easily he zoned out until suddenly he was back in the room full of noise and people jostling to get to the bar. Shaking his head, he laughed at himself, and took a long drink of his beer without looking at Zoe.

“Guess that sounds pretty lame to you, huh?”

“Nope, not lame at all,” Zoe told him in a soft voice and a look in her eyes to match as he glanced her way then. “I think that sounds beautiful, Wade, I really do. You almost make me wish we were in Bluebell, Alabama right now.”

If he thought she was serious, Wade was pretty sure he would be offering to take her there right in that moment, but she wasn’t, not really, he was sure on that. Still, he did believe she liked the sound of a picnic at least and that idea could just have potential. Unfortunately, before they could settle anything, there was a tapping on his shoulder, somebody eager to let him know that he was needed backstage before the other half of the set began.

“Wow, that was... brief,” said Zoe regretfully. “Duty calls, huh?” she said with a sigh.

“Apparently.” Wade rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“It’s fine,” Zoe assured him, clearly forcing a smile. “You’re busy, I’m busy. Maybe one day we will finally get that second date.”

Wade got to his feet, stepped in real close to take her face in his hands and kissed her firmly on the lips. When he pulled back, he met her eyes, determined that she heard him and believed what he said.

“We will get that date, Zoe Hart. I promise you,” he swore faithfully, kissing her one more time before he really did have to go.

Zoe could hardly keep the smile off her face, even as she watched Wade walk away from her. So, they didn’t get to see much of each other lately, but any small worries she might have had about Wade not being keen, or about her own imagination making more of what was between the two of them than was actually there, they had all been quashed in the last few minutes.

Picking her cell out of her purse, she typed a quick text message and sent it off in the hopes of it being seen immediately.

Zoe:  
This weekend. Punch that window, cowboy. I’m done waiting.

She wondered how he would interpret her words. After all, the last couple of times he talked about waiting for her, Wade had meant sex. Zoe knew that very well, and even though it wasn’t the only way she meant for her words to be taken, she was actually okay if he did think that was what she was getting at.

Practically holding her breath, she waited to see if she might get an answer before the second half of the band’s set began. Her eyes flitted to the stage and she realised not one member of Sippin’ Whiskey had returned yet, then her phone beeped, and she looked back down at the screen, smiling at the message written there which was followed by a smiling emoji with heart eyes.

Wade:  
Your wish is my command, doc.


	16. Chapter 16

“Now, this is what I’m talkin’ about,” Wade declared as he and Zoe stepped out of the cab right outside the gates to Central Park.

She really hadn’t been sure what to expect when he sent her a cryptic text message with only a date and time, followed by another that told her she didn’t need to get dressed up. Given that he was apparently coming by for her on Saturday at noon, she figured they were headed out to lunch, but quite obviously, nowhere fancy. Still, the picnic basket in his hand had been a real surprise.

“It ain’t exactly the same as takin’ you to some quiet spot in Bluebell,” said Wade as he took a hold of Zoe’s hand and they went into the park together, “but I figure it’s as close as we’re gonna get around here.”

“A picnic in the park is a beautiful idea, Wade,” she promised him, grinning so wide. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, a fancy dinner in a nice restaurant is also good, but being somewhere that I don’t have to worry so much about my manners and everything, or who might see us being less-than-perfect? It’s a good thing.”

Wade grinned back at her, letting go of Zoe’s hand in favour of wrapping his arm right around her and pulling her even closer.

“Glad you approve, doc,” he told her, leaning down to steal a quick kiss as they continued on over the grass, trying to find a good spot to settle into.

Since the sun was high in the sky and Zoe was full of tales of heat stroke and melanoma thanks to her extensive medical knowledge, they found an area by the trees where they would be guaranteed a little dappled shade.

Wade spread out the blanket and began producing cartons of food as well as a bottle of wine that impressed Zoe to no end. She really had not seen any of this coming. Sure, she knew Wade was a nice guy, that he had some idea of how to treat a woman after their first date and his helping her so much on the drunken night that she would rather not remember. Still, after everything, after the long gap between Date One and now, after her telling him she was not willing to just fall into bed with the guy, she almost expected him to give up. After all, he was a rockstar, with easy access to a lot of easy women. The fact that Wade would put in so much effort all for her alone, Zoe was a little bowled over by that.

“What?” he asked, clearly noticing some sort of goofy expression on her face.

“Nothing,” she insisted, shaking her head, knowing she was blushing at being caught staring in some googly-eyed way at him. “I was just thinking... how great this all is. You know, it’s rare to find a guy who knows how to pack a decent lunch like this.”

“I didn’t just pack it, doc,” Wade told her, presenting the feast to her. “I made it, for the most part.”

“You _made_ it?” Zoe echoed, once again in awe. “Wow. I am officially impressed. You’re really not like other guys, Wade Kinsella.”

“That’s what they tell me,” he told her with a wink before settling down comfortably on the blanket beside her and encouraging her to dig in to the food.

Zoe wasted no time in doing exactly that, while Wade dug out a corkscrew and opened up the wine. She took a glass willingly, but had only taken a sip or two before she thought better of drinking anymore. Zoe didn’t often push her limits on alcohol, and though Wade had proven himself to have more willpower than most when she did get too far gone and threw herself at him, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go testing him a second time.

The fact was, Zoe had started giving some serious thought to just exactly how serious she wanted to get with Wade. There was every chance that if he pushed his luck even a little, she wouldn’t tell him no, at this point, but she wasn’t prepared to impair her own judgement too badly and risk making a mistake.

“Zoe?”

She hadn’t realised he was speaking to her until he said her name then, his hand landing on her arm. His expression proved he was more than a little concerned that she had zoned out twice now in a matter of moments.

“You feelin’ okay?” he checked then. “You looked kinda... spaced out.”

“I feel a little spaced out,” she admitted, laughing at the phrasing they both used. “Um, but I’m fine. It’s just... I guess I’ve been waiting a little too long to get to this second date with you. I mean, we’ve both been waiting and hoping to get here, and now that we are...”

“You’re wondering why you even wanted to see me again?”

Zoe was so shocked by that question and the sad expression on Wade’s face, she actually felt her jaw drop and was surprised it hadn’t physically hit the ground. How could a guy who looked like he did, was as charming as he was, who commanded so much power over women and seemed to innately confident, truly believe that she didn’t want to be here with him?

“Wade, trust me, you are not the problem,” she promised, shaking her head. “I promise, I am happy to be here with you. I couldn’t be any happier.”

“You think you could tell that to your face?” he said, smiling hesitantly, proving he was at least trying to make a joke.

“I’m so sorry.” Zoe sighed, putting down her wine glass and the piece of food she now realised she was not going to be eating for a while yet. “It really isn’t your fault, Wade. I... I just...”

She wanted to explain it to him, she really did. Brash, straight-talking New Yorker that she had been raised to be, Zoe wasn’t sure why she was having so much trouble. She should tell him, just open her mouth and let the words come flowing out. Let him know she was thinking seriously about them taking further physical steps in their relationship and that it was making her just a little nervous. She ought to tell him all of that, but somehow, Zoe just couldn’t.

“I’m fine,” she said eventually. “I’m kind of tired from all the hard work, I guess, and a little over-awed, because hey, I’m on a second date with an amazing singer-songwriter that wowed a club full of people just the other night with a song all about little old me,” she said, laughing a little at how strange that all sounded, even if it was the truth. “But I promise you, Wade, I absolutely want to be here. None of this is a disappointment. _You_ are certainly not a disappointment,” she assured him.

“Well, I know for sure that’s something you could never be yourself either, doc,” said Wade then, reaching a hand out to her face and guiding her close enough that he could softly kiss her lips. “For what it’s worth, I meant every word o’ that song you heard the other night. Never did mean anything as much.”

That made Zoe smile and take her turn at kissing him this time. After that serious moment passed and they got into the food and the wine, talking about other more normal things and everything, she started to relax. It didn’t take long before Zoe was happily sitting in Wade’s personal space, his arm around her as they reconnected like two old friends, or maybe two old flames, even though they had only known each other a few short weeks. It was suddenly just so easy to be comfortable again. Zoe began to wonder why she was ever nervous in the first place.

* * *

Wade had days and nights enough in his life that he wished would go on just a little longer than they actually did in reality, but none so much as his second date with Dr Zoe Hart. He had thought their first date went pretty well and he hadn’t even minded too much when she told him she was not letting him into her apartment and her bed that night.

When she finally had offered him that chance, she was drunker than he had seen a woman in a good long while, and so he did the gentlemanly thing and refused her. It was worth it too, in the long-run, because the next day, being curled up on her couch, spinning tales about the folks of Bluebell as she laughed and sighed in his arms, that had been something Wade could never have imagined finding much joy in, and yet, it was one of the best days of his life.

Today was right up there on the list too, even though all he and Zoe had done was sit in a park, eat lunch, talk about all kinds of nonsense, and make out some, as much as a public place would allow anyway.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, everybody knows that, and so, their picnic date had to end too. Wade had a gig he had to be at later on this evening, but he had hours yet before he really had to leave. The main problem was, the weather was already turning, the sun disappearing behind clouds and the air turning noticeably colder. Then the first drop of rain hit them and Wade and Zoe both knew it was time to call it a day.

They got a cab back to Zoe’s building, Wade getting out and asking the driver to wait as he opened his date’s door for her like a gentleman and offered her his hand to help her out of the car. The rain was coming down a little harder by now and so a hasty goodbye was required before they both got soaked.

“Sorry it had to end this way, doc,” said Wade, doing his best to shield her from the worst of the rain.

“What if it doesn’t?” she asked, glancing back over her shoulder to the apartment block for a moment.

Wade had an idea he knew what she meant, but there was no way he was pushing his luck any, not with her.

“I’m a simple guy from the South, Zoe,” he said, looking seriously at her. “I don’t do metaphors or trick questions or any o’ that stuff, so if you got somethin’ to say, I think you should spell it out for me, just so we’re clear.”

For a moment, he wondered if she had been struck dumb. Zoe just stood and stared at him for a few seconds, and then, all at once, she was up on her toes, her arms tight around his neck as she kissed him hard on the lips. Just as Wade was getting into it, she pulled back, biting her lip for a moment.

“You wanna come up?” she asked him plainly then. “Because I’d be okay with that.”

Wade really did not need asking twice, nodding his head in the positive then turning away quickly to collect his things from the cab and pay off the driver. He and Zoe all but ran into the building, glad enough to get out of the rain, but also, thrilled to know this was all happening now. The elevator doors barely closed behind them before Wade dropped the picnic basket and pulled Zoe to him. She went willingly and the kissing started up again, becoming a little more than simply that before they quite made it to her floor.

The doors opened to reveal their make-out session to whoever may have been waiting, but thankfully, there was nobody there when they finally came up for air.

“Way to ruin a cliché,” Zoe noted with a giggle and a roll of her eyes as she exited the elevator and headed for her apartment door.

Wade followed behind, still wondering if this really meant what it seemed to mean. Zoe wasn’t like other women he had dated, if you could even call it dating. In most instances, he just slept with women, one crazy night, maybe a weekend, and then it was over. There had been a couple of more serious relationships in the past. He was even married once, though that was a real big mistake, if ever he had made one. Still, nothing Wade had experienced in the past with any other woman compared to what he felt when he was with Zoe, and this was before they ever got as far as what he usually considered to be the main event.

“So, here we are,” she said then, turning a full circle in the middle of the living room, as if she suddenly felt weird about being there with him. “I’d give you the tour, but you’ve been here kind of a lot already.”

If Wade didn’t know any better, he would swear she was shaking, and also, playing for time like crazy.

“You know, what, Zoe? If you... I mean, if you changed your mind about this, I can just call another cab,” he promised her, even though it was killing him to say it.

“Really haven’t,” she told him immediately.

Wade couldn’t contain the huge sigh of relief that escaped his lips and had the decency to feel a little awkward about it when it was clear that Zoe noticed. As if she could fail to, really.

“Look, Wade, I don’t... I didn’t explain myself very well in the park, you know, when you asked me if I was okay? I didn’t lie exactly when I said I was kind of over-awed by you. I actually am sometimes.”

“And you think I’m not by you?” he checked, coming to stand close in front of her. “You’re a doctor, Zoe, a surgeon. You have real smarts, the kind that I could never hope to have. You go to a hospital almost every day and you fix people up, you actually save lives,” he reminded her plainly. “You have any idea how much that blows my mind? Not just that, but the fact a woman like you, smart and beautiful and decent as you, is looking at me the way you look at me sometimes?”

“Come on.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “You have a million adoring fangirls.”

“And not a one of ‘em holds a candle to you,” he promised her, as honest as he had ever been. “I am serious, doc, you are somethin’ else. I can’t explain it, wish to hell I could, but you... you are just...”

He didn’t have the words to give her, there just weren’t any, at least, not in the limited vocabulary of one Wade Kinsella. All he could do was fall back on the skills he had, hoping that what they said about action speaking louder than words held true. Reaching out his hand to her cheek, the other finding Zoe’s waist, he urged her closer and kissed her. They soon picked up where they left off in the elevator, arms around each other, tongues doing battle, the heat rising all too easily between them. Still, Wade was wary after how nervous Zoe seemed before and made himself pull back before it all went a little too far, to a place where he would have serious problems stepping back.

“Hey, you sure about this?” he double-checked.

Zoe swallowed hard before she answered. “Yes... and no,” she admitted, looking a little wobbly all over again. “I do want to, Wade. I mean, I really, _really_ do,” she promised in such a way that he couldn’t doubt her. “It’s just... all those women that you... the ones from before,” she said, glancing away. “I don’t have that kind of experience,” she explained, clearly feeling foolish in doing so. “I mean, I have some, I’m not... I mean, I _have_ ,” she said pointedly, meeting his eyes once again. “I’m just really bad at disappointing people.”

Wade didn’t think he could feel any more for her than he already did, but in that moment, he could honestly think he was completely in love with this woman. If he were a better person, he probably would’ve told her so too.

“Zoe,” he said instead, tucking her hair back behind her ear, “it’s like I told you before, I do not believe you could ever disappoint me, and no matter what does or doesn’t happen here, I believe that will still hold true,” he promised her faithfully.

She looked at him oddly for a moment, stared so hard, Wade believed she was trying to see right into his soul. He would happily show it to her, if he thought it would help at all. It seemed maybe she found what she was looking for then, as she suddenly launched herself back into his arms, kissing him hard, pulling him in the vague direction of her room.

Picking her up into his arms, Wade had Zoe’s legs around his waist as he carried her through the open bedroom door, the pair of them tumbling onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, her laughter ringing in his ears at the awkward landing.

Looking down at her then, Wade was sure nobody was ever as beautiful or as inviting as his Zoe, and he certainly couldn’t have imagined their second date going any better than this.


	17. Chapter 17

Despite the late hour, Zoe couldn’t sleep. She would say it was because she had been in bed since the middle of the afternoon, but it wasn’t as if she had been resting the whole time, especially not the part where Wade was in bed with her. Not that Zoe had any regrets about the way they spent their time. Nope, not one regret existed in her when it came to the hours she and Wade had passed making love together. It had been amazing, as Zoe had expected it would be, and when afternoon turned into evening and they both knew he had to leave, it was so tough to be a grown up and let him go.

“You know I would rather be here with you than on some stage with people screaming at me, right?” he had said, lying beside her still, even though he ought to be long gone.

“Liar,” Zoe teased him, only for him to lean down and kiss her in such a way that made her believe every word he said. “Okay, maybe you’re telling the truth,” she admitted, “but that doesn’t mean you can stay here. You have a gig to be at, cowboy,” she told him with a sad sigh, knowing she was a fool in encouraging him to leave.

Still, it was his career, just as medicine was hers. If things were the other way around, Zoe knew she would want Wade to be adult enough to tell her she should get up and go to her work rather than roll around in bed with him. Somehow, she doubted she would want to leave him either, and with her job, that could actually put lives at risk!

She had thrown on her robe to walk him to the apartment door, her and Wade sharing at least six goodbye kisses and still he hadn’t left yet.

“Baby, can’t I just call up Brad and tell him I’m sick or somethin’?” he complained from the door step. “Better yet, _you_ call him. You’re a doctor. Yeah, you can tell him I ain’t up to performing tonight.”

“Well, if that were true, you’d be no use to me either,” she quipped, laughing at his almost scandalised expression - he really hadn’t been expecting that kind of comment from her apparently. “Oh, come on! After what we did all afternoon, I can’t make a dirty joke for once?”

“Sweetheart, you can make all the jokes you want,” Wade promised her, “just don’t ever doubt that I am always up for any challenge you wanna throw my way,” he told her with a salacious smile.

“Go!” she told him then, laughing loudly as she shoved him out the door at last.

When he came back for one more kiss, she was fool enough to let him have it, and then when he was finally gone, Zoe almost wished she had allowed herself to be convinced to lie to Bradley for him. 

It would’ve been nice if Wade could have stayed overnight, but it wasn’t as if this was their only chance to do that. There would be other days, other nights, at least, Zoe hoped so. Given the gap between their first and second dates, she was a little worried about how long it might be before they could arrange a third. A voice in the back of her head said that Wade might not exactly try too hard anymore, now he got what he wanted, but Zoe silenced it quickly and firmly. She did not believe that was all Wade wanted from their relationship. Other guys, sure, but not Wade, not when it came to her.

Hours later, Zoe had mostly managed to quell her fears about Wade growing bored of her now, and even pushed aside any passing thoughts of other pretty (and easy) girls throwing themselves at him while he played his set at the club tonight, but sleep still didn’t come.

It was past midnight and no matter how Zoe tossed and turned, she couldn’t seem to find a way to be comfortable. No sooner had she finally found a place in the bed that seemed to suit her and very nearly made it into some real sleep than her cell buzzed on the nightstand and took her attention.

Zoe sat up, reaching for her phone and checking the screen. She grinned when she realised there was a new text message from Wade and opened it immediately.

Wade:  
I hope you’re happy, doc. I screwed up on three different songs tonight because I was too busy thinking about you to concentrate.

Zoe:  
That’s so sweet! :D

Zoe:  
Except I know guys don’t like to be called sweet, so I take that back. You’re still very manly, I promise.

Wade:  
You sure seemed to think so a few hours back :P

Zoe wasn’t sure why she was blushing, since nobody knew about this conversation but the two of them and she was completely alone in her room, but she would swear she was pink from her head to her toes in that moment. Her thumbs hovered over the keys of her phone as she considered what to type next. Before she got the chance to make a decision, Wade messaged her again.

Wade:  
I’d ask if you want me to come on back over when I’m done here, but it’s pretty late already, so I guess not.

She had half a reply typed when she changed her mind, deleting it and starting over. This time, Zoe pressed send before she could doubt herself a second time.

Zoe:  
I’d be okay with you coming back here. Do you want to?

Wade:  
You know that one about bears and the woods, right?

Zoe:  
Wow, so romantic :P

Wade:  
lol! I’ll see you in a couple of hours, doc.

Zoe:  
You bet, cowboy.

There was a grin on her face a mile wide as she put her cell back on the nightstand and checked the clock. It would be at least 2.30 before Wade got back to her place and Zoe didn’t exactly see herself getting much sleep when that happened. It would be sensible to try and get some rest now, but she couldn’t imagine that happening in the circumstances.  
“Thank God I’m not working at all this weekend,” she said to herself, bouncing out of bed and heading for the bathroom.  
By the time Wade got back, she intended to seem as sexy as possible, no matter how tired she probably looked in reality. In the appropriate lighting, the rings under her eyes probably wouldn’t show. Besides, with what she had in mind to not be wearing, that really shouldn’t be where he was looking anyway!

* * *

“Mom, hey! It’s so great to see you!”

“It is?” Candice checked, looking bewildered as Zoe hugged her tight and then just continued to grin at her like a fool. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

“Nope, not okay. I am wonderful,” she insisted. “I’m sorry, how are you?”

“I’m just fine,” her mother told her, nodding her head. “Zoe, please, tell me what’s going on. You look like you slept with a hanger in your mouth”

Zoe giggled at that, covering her mouth with her hand after a few seconds and managing to sober up. “Funny you should mention sleep, because I really didn’t get much of that last night.”

“Oh, I see.” Candice smiled slyly then. “Wade Kinsella?”

“Wade Kinsella,” Zoe admitted. “I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent the night with a rockstar. I mean, come on, Mom, it’s not like you’ve never done it.”

“I’m hardly likely to try and deny it,” said her mother, following her through to the kitchen.

“I’m hardly likely to believe you if you did,” said Zoe as she fired up the cappuccino machine and looked for clean cups. “So, you called asking if you could come over this afternoon. I’m guessing there was more of a reason than just coffee?”

“There was.” Candice sat down at the counter and put her purse to one side. “I actually came to invite you - and of course, the wonderful Wade, if you’d like - to a party.”

“It’s not your birthday.” Zoe frowned as she turned to face her. “And you don’t have any other special occasions you like to celebrate, so this is a work-related party?”

“Yes and no,” said Candice, making a face. “Look, the truth is, there are some people I need to impress, potential clients, actually...”

“And you need to show them that, not only can you throw an amazing party, but also show off some of the clients you already have,” Zoe said for her, “except you don’t have enough people available, or you don’t want to make it too obvious that you’re showing off your client list, so you need a few ‘normal’ people like me to come along and even things out, plus make the party look a little more personal. Did I hit all the points?”

“Ten out of ten,” said Candice with a proud smile. “I raised you so well,” she said, reaching across the counter to take Zoe’s chin in her hands.

“You raised me as a publicist’s daughter, that’s all,” Zoe reminded her, pulling away and rolling her eyes for good measure.

The truth was, she didn’t really mind so much. She understood the way her mother’s job worked, what was necessary to keep her career afloat. Yes, technically, she was being invited to a party purely for her mom’s gain in business rather than for fun, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a good time, especially if Wade could go with her. She only hoped it was on a night when he wasn’t busy and she could get out of work herself too. The chances seemed slim somehow.

“Oh, you know, you could bring Gigi along too, and whatever arm candy she’s wearing this week,” said Candice then with the kind of smile Zoe could live without ever seeing on her mother’s face ever again.

“I’ll ask her, and Wade, and I’ll check my schedule for work, if you ever actually tell me when this amazing party is.”

By the time she turned back around with two coffees in her hands for herself and her mother, Candice had already placed a formal invitation on the counter and was on her feet, preparing to leave.

“Seriously?”

“I’m sorry, honey, but I have to go,” Candice apologised absently, eyes on her cell phone. “I’ll see you at the party!” she called as she wandered away and let herself out of the apartment.

Zoe stood in stunned silence for a moment and then just shook her head. “Bye, Mom,” she said the empty space in front of her.

She really should be used to this by now.

* * *

“Wade Kinsella, that is the fifth time I have heard you yawn since we started this conversation. Now what on earth is wrong with you?”

“Sorry, Lemon,” he told her, startled back to reality all too easily by her shrill tone in his ear. “I didn’t exactly sleep much last night.”

“You should be used to your late nights by now, after so many performances at these clubs and all,” she reminded him.

Wade wondered if she could hear the grin on his face at all. Since she was Lemon Breeland and therefore some kind of psychic, he was sure she most likely could. It was the only way to explain what she said next.

“Unless of course you’re not just tired because of your commitments to the band. Wade Kinsella, did you finally convince that poor doctor to... to move your relationship along?”

“Now, Lemon Breeland, how do you even know I have been seeing a doctor?”

“We don’t all live in big cities these days, Wade, and here in Bluebell, well, you know news - good or bad - spreads like a wild fire. Anybody who is anybody knows that you have been seeing Dr Zoe Hart for a while now and that she might just finally be the amazing woman we have all been waitin’ for, the one who can tame wild Wade Kinsella and make an honest man outta him.”

That at least made Wade laugh, though he knew it shouldn’t. If anyone was ever going to inspire him to settle down one day, he supposed it probably could be Zoe. That said, they had been on precisely two real dates, and so any talk of matrimony was entirely ridiculous. Not that he got a chance to tell Lemon all of that. Nobody ever got a word in with her when she was on a roll.

“Now, I know what you’re going to say, Wade, so let me tell you what I have to say first.”

“Like I get a choice,” he muttered.

“I heard that,” she said anyway, before pressing on. “I am sure this Zoe Hart is a fine young woman, clearly smart if she’s a doctor, and knowing your taste like I do, probably very attractive, but please, Wade, just... just be careful, okay?”

“Careful of what, Lemon?” he asked her then, just a little confused, since this was not at all what he expected her to say. “’Cause if this is some safe sex talk...”

“Wade!” she snapped at him. “Wash your mouth out, you know I would never... What I’m tryin’ to say is, well, you hear such stories about New Yorkers. I remember when George was there and... and those people aren’t like us.”

“You talk about Northerners like they come from a different planet, Lemon,” Wade pointed out. “They are just people.”

“I know that, and I’m sure Zoe is very nice and all, like I said, but... but I worry about you. We all do.”

It wasn’t like Wade to get choked up about much, but folks caring for him, that still took a little getting used to, even after all this time.

“Thank you, Lemon,” he said eventually. “You know I appreciate it, but you really don’t gotta worry about me. I am doin’ just fine and I got no fears where Zoe is concerned. She’s... she’s special. I wouldn’t hurt her for the world and I don’t believe she’d hurt me either.”

Lemon sighed with relief in his ear. “Then I am so happy for you, Wade, I could just burst,” she told him joyfully. “You think you might bring her down here to visit sometime?”

“Hell, if I could come visitin’ myself any time soon, I’d be happy enough, Lemon,” he promised her, “and I would bring Zoe along in a heartbeat if she said she’d come, but I am full on with gigs right now, and then we gotta start promoting the album and all. It could be a while yet before I get back home for a spell.”

She sure sounded disappointed when she heard that and, in actual fact, Wade realised once it was said how sorry he was about the news too. He really could use a week or two down in Bluebell, and bringing Zoe along with him would just be the icing on the cake. Unfortunately, like he just told his friend, that probably wouldn’t be happening for a good while yet. It was a shame, but it was just the way it was right now.


	18. Chapter 18

At first, Wade thought his prayers had been answered. No sooner had he got done telling Lemon how he was doubtless getting no time off to go visiting Bluebell, the very next day, Bradley upped and told him that the band was getting some real R&R after all.

Of course, the way their manager told it, it was not quite so simple as time to go home, go on vacation, and do whatever you please. Seemed they would still be needed for a few things - photoshoot for the album cover, possible interviews and such for when the promotion really kicked in - but there were not going to be any more gigs for a few weeks.

Apparently, the idea was to have Sippin’ Whiskey not be around so much for a little while, so when news of the album surfaced, they would have created an even higher demand than already existed. Something about building the tension or whatever. Wade didn’t care much about that side of things. He was just glad to know he was getting some time off on weekends.

All this meant that Wade was able to make more time for Zoe and whenever she was not on shift at the hospital, or sleeping off one of those very same shifts, they were pretty much together. Whether he was taking her out to a fancy restaurant or they were rolling around in bed together, there was no denying they were having a real nice time. Of course, such fun and good times could not last forever.

“Zoe, do we have to?” Wade complained from what had fast become his side of her bed. “Can’t we just tell your momma we got other plans?”

“Are you kidding?” she asked, evading when he reached for her and wrapping her robe around her body. “We’re talking about Candice Hart. Things she doesn’t take well include excuses, rejection, and no for an answer,” she reminded him with a look. “Besides, she helped you out a lot when you had that trouble with Alan McKenzie, or did you forget?”

“Like I could.” Wade rolled his eyes. “But that doesn’t mean I have to go to some party full of stuck-up people I don’t know, does it?”

“They’re not all stuck-up people.” Zoe laughed at both what he said and the way he said it. “Gigi will be there and I’m pretty sure she’s bringing Jonah Breeland. Plus, you know as well as I do that Mom talked to Bradley and said he should invite the whole band along. I mean, you would know better than I do if they’re likely to show...”

“I don’t know, maybe.” Wade shrugged. “Still doesn’t mean I wouldn’t rather be right here alone with you,” he said, reaching for her again.

Zoe backed up a step. “Uh-uh, no way, cowboy. I think you have had more than enough fun with me this afternoon. Now it’s time to do the decent thing and be that Southern gentleman I know you can be for my mother, okay?”

Wade sighed heavily. “You drive a hard bargain, doc,” he told her, even as he threw the covers aside and got out of bed. “Hey, if _you_ need to take a shower, and _I_ need to take a shower...” he said with a look that was unmistakable. “I’m just sayin’, shouldn’t we do our thing for the environment and all, save a little water?”

“Yes, because that’s why you’re making that suggestion.” Zoe rolled her eyes.

Of course, he wasn’t hearing any actual objections, and from the way she didn’t protest at all when he put his arms around her and kissed her then, he suspected there weren’t going to be any either. In fact, quite the opposite.

* * *

“I’m so sorry we’re late,” Zoe apologised as they entered the party.

She noticed that Wade could hardly contain the smirk that wanted to spread all over his face and smacked him in the arm, giving him the severest look she could manage so he would stop. After all, it was mostly his fault they were late in the first place, seducing her in the shower the way he did. He was a very tough person to say no to, Zoe had found. Not that she was exactly complaining about their activities, but she could use not having anything else for her mother to complain about.

“The important thing is that you’re here now,” said Candice, giving her daughter a kiss hello. “And Wade Kinsella too, how nice,” she said as she looked at him, her tone suggesting she wasn’t exactly being truthful about that.

Zoe chose not to make a big deal out of it.

“Okay, so, I think you know most people here, Zoe. Just do me a favour and circulate a lot, be sure to tell everyone who you are and what you are,” she said with a look.

“Hi, I’m Zoe Hart, Candice’s surgeon daughter,” she pantomimed for her mother’s benefit. “Something like that?”

“A little more natural, honey, please,” Candice urged her, patting her face, before walking away to greet more guests.

“I really do appreciate what she did for the band and all,” said Wade in Zoe’s ear then, “but your mom is really...”

“Yes, I know,” she told him before he could find too many suitable adjectives - she already had her own list and did not need the help. “So, she wants us to circulate, let’s do that.”

“Sounds great,” Wade deadpanned.

Zoe just laughed, grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the fray. Honestly, she didn’t mind doing as her mom asked, not least because when she got done telling people who she was, she got to tell them who Wade was too. As shallow as it may seem, Zoe did not mind at all that she was dating one of the hottest guys in the room or that he was an up and coming rockstar. Not a person at the party could fail to be impressed that she was doing so well both career-wise and romantically too.

“I could almost be jealous,” said Gigi as they waited in line outside of the bathroom together, some time later. “You know, if I wasn’t here with a sexy doctor of my own,” she said, waving none too subtly at Jonah who was chatting with Wade by the bar.

“No, don’t tell me you two are actually serious about each other?” Zoe checked. “Honestly, I didn’t really think Jonah was the serious type with anybody, and you don’t exactly have much sticking power when it comes to guys lately either.”

“Who said anything about serious?” Gigi shrugged. “We’re just having a good time. A really, _really_ good time,” she said with a wicked grin.

Across the room, Jonah saw the girls laughing together and chuckled himself. “What is it with women when they get together? They just have to talk about us, don’t they?”

“Seems that way,” Wade agreed, taking a drink from his beer bottle. “Not that it bothers me any. Zoe can say whatever the hell she wants, I got nothin’ to worry about.”

“Me either,” Jonah shrugged easily. “I mean, I don’t see Gigi has anything to be disappointed about, if you know what I mean. Well, except for the fact that I’m gonna be headin’ home before too much longer.”

“When you say home, you mean Bluebell?” Wade checked.

“Mobile mostly,” his old buddy explained. “They need another pair of hands at the hospital there and, honestly, I’m gettin’ a little tired of big city life. Figure I’ll go back down south, work in Mobile, go see the folks in Bluebell.”

“Yeah, that does sound like a fine idea.” Wade sighed. “’S been too long since I last went visitin’,” he admitted, rubbing his forehead. “I thought I could get away a while, since my manager gave us a break from gigs and all but, as it turns out-”

“Well, if it isn’t the Alabama contingent!”

Wade looked around fast when he heard somebody yelling, surprised to find it was Candice Hart who was suddenly very close by and quite willing to throw an arm around him and Jonah both.

“Wow, you are a very enthusiastic hostess, Ms Hart,” said Jonah awkwardly, obviously finding it difficult to set Candice back on her feet when she leaned on him so heavily.

‘Drunk?’ Wade mouthed to him over the woman’s head.

‘Oh, yeah,’ he mouthed back, right before Candice got her footing.

“I have been hearing so much about the two of you lately, especially you, Wade,” she said, leaning his way this time and breathing enough alcohol fumes on him, he would swear he got a little more drunk just from that alone. “Now, come on, why don’t you dance with me? I can have them play something you’d like. Johnny Cash, maybe? Hank Williams?”

Wade honestly wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not, or whether she genuinely thought she was coming up with good suggestions. Could be she was even trying to be rude, but honestly, he wasn’t sure she was in any fit state to be clever at all.

“Come on, dance with me!” she insisted then, dragging him forward.

He barely had time to put down his beer down before she had him on the dancefloor, pulling his arms around her waist and making a big deal out of having that dance she so wanted. Wade felt a little weird about it all, not because she was Zoe’s mother exactly, although that didn’t help. It was more the fact she was clearly three sheets to the wind and looking up at him like a teenager in love. Now, that was concerning.

“You know, I do understand why Zoe finds you so attractive,” she said, grinning wide. “I mean, the rockstar thing, of course, that’s appealing. Personally, I love drummers. Probably had more of those than Spinal Tap,” she said out of the side of her mouth as if imparting a big secret - either which way, Wade so didn’t want to hear anymore.

“You know what, Ms Hart? I think we should just-”

“But that’s not what it is!” she told him, ploughing on regardless, putting his arms back around her the moment he let them slip away. “No, that’s not what Zoe likes so much about you, I’m sure of that. It’s the Southern thing. I’ll bet you all the money in the world, that’s exactly what it is. It’s what it was for me,” she said with a sigh then, her head falling forward so her forehead landed on his chest.

Wade had a horrible feeling she was about to pass out or something, when suddenly she looked up again so fast, she almost cracked him in the chin with her head.

“He was a real Southern gentleman,” she explained, though as yet, Wade had no clue who she was talking about and didn’t like to ask. “I mean, when I say gentleman, I don’t mean all of the time. If he were, Zoe wouldn’t be here,” she said, laughing loudly.

That comment brought a frown to Wade’s face. Now it seemed clear that Candice was talking about Zoe’s father, which would mean Ethan Hart, but he was New York born and raised, Wade was sure on that, because Zoe had told him so. Of course, drunk as Candice was, she could be getting her wires crossed somewhere, but the father of your own kid seemed like a weird thing to get wrong, even if she was drunk as Cooter Brown.

“Sometimes I think I should’ve just married him instead.” Candice sighed, still swaying a little in Wade’s arms even though the music had changed back to an upbeat number and slow-dancing wasn’t exactly the thing to be doing. “He would’ve married me, that’s what Southern gentlemen do, isn’t it? The right thing by the woman they love, and I think he did love me. Good old Harley Wilkes.”

“Who now?” Wade checked, hardly able to believe his ears. “Say that again?” he urged Candice, leaning a little closer to better hear when she repeated the name he thought he just heard.

Of course, she just had to take his getting closer all the wrong way. Wade just didn’t see it coming. One second, he was trying to fathom out if Candice really was implying a guy he knew was actually Zoe’s father, the next, his girlfriend’s mom had her hands on either side of his head, closing the gap between them and kissing him soundly.

By the time Wade managed to get his bearings and pull away, of course, it was all too late. He turned at the sound of an audible gasp and there was Zoe, hand on her heart and tears in her eyes. It really couldn’t get any worse than that.


	19. Chapter 19

When Zoe caught sight of her mother locking lips with some guy young enough to be her son, she wasn’t exactly surprised. The real shock set in when the couple parted and she realised the man on the other end of that kiss was Wade. It was because she had seen it happen too many times before, coupled with the completely stunned look on her boyfriend’s face, that proved to Zoe he really wasn’t at fault here. No, this was Candice being Candice, just like always.

“Okay, we should leave,” said Gigi, grabbing onto Zoe’s arm and pulling her towards the door.

“I’m not arguing with that,” she agreed, going willingly with her friend, even as Wade called her name behind her.

He caught up with them near to the door, where Zoe was having trouble finding her coat. Gigi said they should just leave without it, but Zoe wasn’t about to do that.

“Actually, you should go down and hail us a cab,” she told her friend quickly. “I’ll meet you out front in a few minutes.”

She shot Gigi a look to ensure she didn’t argue, never wondering who her friend was texting as she left to go get that cab. No doubt she wanted Jonah to know where she was going and why. As if he shouldn’t have figured that out from the little display in the middle of the dancefloor.

“Zoe, baby, would you listen to me, please,” Wade urged her, trying to pull her around to face him as she fixated on finding her coat in the large pile still. “That thing you just saw, that was not me, okay?” he insisted. “I mean... I don’t wanna say somethin’ I shouldn’t here about your momma but-”

“She’s drunk,” Zoe said for him, glad to finally have located the coat she was looking for and holding it up in something like triumph, not that she felt all that triumphant, not in these circumstances. “Look, Wade, I get it. When my mom has a party, the champagne flows, then, the next thing you know, someone’s being arrested, someone has lost their pants, and my mom can be found passed out behind the couch or under the table with somebody else’s husband... or boyfriend,” she said bitterly, looking away to the door.

Zoe so didn’t want to be mad at Wade. She was well aware that none of this was his fault. No doubt Candice asked him to dance and he didn’t like to say no, since she was Zoe’s mother. After that, well, it would be like blaming the antelope for being eaten by the cheetah. Still, the picture in her head of her mom and Wade kissing, it was burned so deep into her retinas. Sure, it would probably fade in time, but right now, it was just so vivid.

“Zoe, please,” Wade tried again to get her focus on him. “You have to believe that I would never-”

“Wade, I already told you, I get it,” she repeated, even as she pushed his hands from her shoulders. “I do understand that this was not your fault, but that’s not... that doesn’t make me feel any better about what I just saw, and I absolutely do _not_ want to be at this party right now,” she explained. “So, just let me go, okay?”

He looked like he wanted to argue some more, but then changed his mind. Hands held up in mock surrender, he let Zoe leave and she was grateful for it. Maybe tomorrow she could talk to Wade, maybe even talk to her mother about what the hell just happened, but now was just not the time.

* * *

“And you’re sure that _she_ kissed _you_?”

“For that last time, Tucker, I’m sure!” Wade said crossly. “Come on, man, I know I have a reputation where women are concerned, believe me, I get it, but this is Zoe we’re talking about here. You know what she means to me.”

On the other end of the phone, he heard George sigh. “Yeah, I guess I do know,” he agreed, “but seriously, Wade, this is bad.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

It was kind of stating the obvious to tell him that being caught kissing his girlfriend’s mother was a bad thing. Wade was well aware, obviously, and despite the fact that Zoe had told him she understood and didn’t seem to blame him, she sure did cut out of that apartment awful fast last night. Wade supposed he could understand her not wanting to be at the party anymore, but he had at least hoped to leave with her.

“Actually, Tucker, that’s not the only thing I need to talk to you about,” he confessed then, free hand rubbing the back of his neck. “Last night, right before Mrs Hart decided to shove her tongue down my throat, she said somethin’... Well, maybe I didn’t hear her right, she was slurring some from the drink, but...”

“But?” George prompted. “C’mon, Wade, whatever it is, just spit it out already. It can’t be any worse than what you already told me, right?”

“See, you say that now.” Wade sighed, knowing his buddy could have no idea what was coming next. “Look, Candice was giving me this whole speech about why Zoe liked me, that it was nothing about me bein’ in a band or whatever, it was because of where I come from. Said she had kind of a thing for Southern boys herself.”

“Okay,” said George. “Why is that so awful?”

“It’s not, at least, it’s not the part that bothered me so much,” Wade explained, sitting down heavily in the chair, tired of pacing by now. “She said... Look, George she told me that she almost wished she had married this Southern guy she knew once, that she loved him and... well, it sounded like she was sayin’ he was Zoe’s daddy.”

“Mr Hart?”

“No, nobody named Hart, that’s kind of the point. I swear to God, Tucker, she said the name Harley Wilkes.”

The audible gasp from the other end of the call did not exactly come as a surprise to Wade. It had been surprising enough to him to hear from Candice that maybe Zoe’s father wasn’t who she thought up to now, but when she said the guy in question was good old Harley, Bluebell’s own town doctor up until he passed on a couple of years back, well, you could’ve knocked Wade down with a feather. Seemed George was suffering the same way now he heard the truth of it.

“Harley Wilkes?” he said after a long silence. “As in... our Dr Harley Wilkes?”

“I don’t know for sure, but how many Harley Wilkes do you think there are in our part of the world?” asked Wade, waiting for an answer and not getting one as fast as he’s like. “I’m serious, Tucker, how many? ‘Cause I got an idea that if she was talkin’ about the same Harley Wilkes that brought the both of us into this world, that is some weird-ass coincidence we got goin’ on.”

“That’s true,” George agreed. “I don’t... I mean, I can look into it, I guess. Old Man Bryant, he handled Harley’s will and all. One of the last things he did before I took over, but I can definitely take a look, see if it mentions anything.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Wade told him. “Seems to me I have enough to figure out with Zoe over this whole gettin’ kissed by her mom thing. I don’t wanna go throwing this kind of information at her until I know anything and everything there is to know.”

“I understand that, and I’ll find out everything I can and get right back to you, Wade, I promise,” his good friend vowed. “This is just... Dr Wilkes havin’ a love child with some woman in New York? And you meeting and dating her? It sounds crazy.”

“It _is_ crazy,” Wade agreed easily, “but it seems it also just might be true.”

* * *

Zoe questioned her own good judgement as she got off the elevator outside of her mom’s apartment. Twelve hours ago, she had been here with Wade and Gigi and Jonah and a bunch of other people for a party and a good time. She had walked out when she saw her own mother kissing her boyfriend, sick to her stomach at even the idea that two people she loved so much would do that to her. Coming back to ask Candice for an explanation she could already recite herself seemed foolish in the extreme, and yet, here she was. Zoe wished she could explain it, but all she had was, ‘She’s my mom and you only get one.’

Standing outside the door, Zoe was still considering walking away. She really should call Wade, invite him over to her place, let him know all was forgiven. After all, this wasn’t his fault. As much of a womaniser as he might have been once, by his own admission, those days had passed. Besides, if he ever was going to cheat, Zoe would like to think he wasn’t dumb enough to do it in front of her and with her own mother. She didn’t like to consider that Wade would do that to her at all, and yet.

Shaking her head free of too many mixed up thoughts, Zoe knocked loudly on the door, unsurprised when her mother answered, looking more than a little worse for wear.

“Zoe, sweetheart,” she said, all bleary eyes and last night’s makeup. “I was-”

“Here,” she said sharply, pushing a to-go cup into her hand. “Strong, black coffee. I doubt it’ll be enough to completely sober you up, but it’ll help.”

“Thank you,” Candice mumbled as Zoe stalked by her into the wreck of an apartment. “I did try putting on the machine, but the noise was giving me a headache.”

“No, Mom, dehydration is what’s causing the headache,” Zoe told her harshly, before softening a little at the sight of her mother’s pain. “I’ll get you some water and some aspirin, then we’ll talk about last night,” she said firmly.

Ten minutes later, they were sat together on the couch, still surrounded by the decimation left over from the party. Zoe knew it would be fine. As soon as the hangover was down to a dull roar, Candice would call in the cleaning crew and the apartment would be back to show home level in no time. This was how it worked, how it had always worked. Of course, usually, her mom didn’t make out with her boyfriend.

“So, do you even remember last night?” Zoe asked her mother, arms folded across her chest. “Specifically, do you remember why I left pretty fast?”

Candice looked momentarily bemused, her hand going to first her head and then dropping to her heart as she gasped.

“Oh, Zoe,” she said, as a memory seemed to come up and slap her in the face. “Oh, sweetheart, I am so, so sorry!”

“Yeah, you know, I guessed you would say that.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “You do get that that does not make it okay, right? You can’t just apologise and have everything be fine after something like that!”

“I know, I know,” her mother apologised, eyes closed as she winced terribly. “I know it was an unforgiveable thing to do. You never should have found out that way-”

“I’m sorry, _found out_?” Zoe gasped, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest.

She really had just believed that what happened was a one-time thing, a stupid drunken mistake on her mother’s part, and that Wade had just been caught in the crossfire. Of course, she had her doubts. A tiny voice in the back of her head tried to tell her all the worst possible explanations for what happened, how her mom and Wade were having an affair, that kind of thing, but she had dismissed them pretty easily. Now, they were back, loud and lurid, enough to make Zoe want to throw up on the spot.

“It wasn’t my intention, Zoe. It was _never_ my intention,” Candice insisted. “Ethan was a good man, he _is_ a good man, and for you to find out that way that he’s not your real father...”

That was the point where Zoe suddenly found herself on her feet, eyes so wide with shock, she was surprised they were still in her head, even though she knew it was an actual physical impossibility for them to fall out. For a moment, she was pretty sure she wasn’t breathing as she stared at her mother and Candice stared back.

“Oh, God,” her mother said at last. “You weren’t talking about your father? I was so sure... I told you about Harley?”

“Who’s Harley?” Zoe asked, shaking her head.

“Well, he... he’s your father.”

The truth spilled out and Candice looked entirely defeated the moment it was said. She put her face in her hands then, and Zoe just stared open-mouthed at her mom, wondering what the heck just happened. In her wildest dreams she could not have predicted how this conversation would go. She was truly stunned.


	20. Chapter 20

She probably should have called the hospital and told them she wasn’t coming in today for personal reasons, but Zoe couldn’t bear the thought of spending so much time alone with all the information she had just been given going around and around in her brain. Sure, she could’ve called Wade and talked things out with him, that was something that definitely did need to happen sooner rather than later, but not today, she just couldn’t handle that conversation on top of everything else.

Thankfully, when the patients needed her attention, Zoe found she could give it pretty easily. Not concentrating would only lead to bad things and severe consequences, so she gave her all to her work. Of course, when it came time to take a break, her mind began to wander again. She was so lost in thought, she didn’t even notice the machine had stopped making noise and the coffee was ready to pour. She also didn’t notice she had company until someone spoke to her.

“How you doin’ this morning, Dr Hart?” asked Jonah with a look of concern.

“I’m here.” Zoe shrugged, the best she could do in the circumstances, before pouring herself a big mug of black coffee. “I’m guessing you saw what happened last night at the party?”

“Pretty sure just about everybody did,” he said, nodding his head and taking his turn with the coffee pot. “You know, Wade always did have a way with the ladies. He couldn’t exactly be mistaken for a one-woman kind of guy.”

“Yeah, well, that’s not the problem right now,” Zoe assured him as they both sat down at the table. “Trust me, my mom has a way worse reputation than Wade when it comes to... extracurricular activities,” she said diplomatically. “We talked about it, she already admitted it was all her fault.”

“Huh. Then Wade is a lucky man, I guess.” Jonah smiled into his mug.

Zoe really didn’t know what the joke was and didn’t feel like asking. She knew what her mother was like when she was drinking. She also knew she trusted Wade, rightly or wrongly. That was another thing to unpack and untangle later. Right now, her mind was stuck on what her mother had told her this morning. The real truth about her father.

“Here’s what kind of a person my mom is,” she said, barely even looking at Jonah as she told her tale. “Thirty years ago, she went on a Greek cruise, where she met a guy - a Southern gentleman, no less - and nine months later, there was me.”

At that point, she actually looked at Jonah, not exactly surprised to see a shocked expression on his face. After all, he thought he already met her father, the famous Dr Ethan Hart, and he was most definitely a New Yorker, through and through.

“Wow,” he said eventually. “That’s... wow.”

“Tell me about it.” Zoe sighed, taking a long drink from the coffee mug she held between her hands. “So, instead of being the daughter of Dr Ethan Hart, world renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon, it turns out, I’m actually the product of an affair between my ridiculous mother and a small-town GP named Harley Wilkes.”

The crashing sound of china shattering on tile made Zoe look up fast, in time to see Jonah scrambling to clean up the mess he just made. Sure, she expected him to be surprised by the news that her dad wasn’t actually her father, that had been more than a mild shock for her too, but she wasn’t exactly sure what had him so stunned now that he was throwing coffee all over the floor.

“Sorry about that,” he said, searching around for cleaning supplies.

Zoe took pity on him, getting up to show him where they kept the cloths and the dustpan and brush too. She assisted in the clean up without a word, happy to stay in silence, until Jonah suddenly spoke up himself.

“You did just say your natural father was Harley Wilkes, right?

As Zoe looked up at him, a light dawned in her head. “Noooo!” she exclaimed. “Please tell me you don’t know him too? My boyfriend _and_ my biological father? That would be the most insane coincidence!”

“And yet,” said Jonah with a look. “As a matter of fact, I actually did know a doctor named Harley Wilkes. I’m assuming we’re talking about the same man.”

“Hold on a second, _did_?” Zoe said worriedly. “You _did_ know him?”

Jonah sighed, abandoning his attempt to clean up the floor as he reached for Zoe’s hand and held it gently in his own. “Zoe, I don’t know how to tell you this...”

* * *

Wade just didn’t know what he was supposed to do about Zoe. It would’ve been bad enough if all that had happened was her momma laying lips on him, and at least Zoe seemed to understand that he was not a willing participant in that unfortunate moment. It was all this stuff about her daddy that had Wade wondering which way to turn. Until he knew for sure that they were talking about the same Harley Wilkes, he really didn’t want to say anything at all to Zoe, and it seemed to be taking George Tucker an awful long time to come up with any answers.

Checking his phone as it beeped, Wade was frustrated to find that he only had a text message from his cell phone service provider. Nothing from George, nothing from Zoe, nobody important was trying to make contact. He wanted to call Zoe, he really did, but short of apologising all over again about what happened with Candice, he had no idea what to say and didn’t feel right saying nothing either.

It would’ve been better if he had some work to do, if the band were needed at the studio or had a gig tonight that they could rehearse for. Instead, Wade was left alone in his own apartment, pacing the floor like a caged animal, not knowing what to do for the best.

He thought he might feel better with a drink inside of him, but it was barely late afternoon yet. Besides, if he could stay away from developing the kind of habits that had dragged his own father down for too many years, and did Zoe’s mom no good either it seemed, then so much the better.

Just when Wade thought he was going to lose his mind entirely, there was a buzz on the intercom. There were not many folks that came visiting his apartment. Even Zoe had only been to his place once, since somehow, they always seemed to end up at her place.

“Hello?” he said as he picked up the receiver.

“It’s Zoe.”

Wade’s heart wanted to leap at the sound of her voice and yet break all at the same moment, because she just sounded so sad.

“Come on up,” he told her, hitting the release button.

Five minutes later, she was knocking on the door and Wade was there to open it and let her right in. Of course, Zoe wasn’t exactly rushing to hug him or kiss him or anything. Wade couldn’t blame her for that, but at first, she didn’t even seem as if she was prepared to come across the threshold.

“Zoe?” he checked, trying to meet her eyes that seemed so downcast.

“My father is dead,” she said out of nowhere. “My real father,” she explained, finally looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes. “The one I didn’t even know about until this morning. How crazy is that?”

Wade was pretty sure she wasn’t looking for an answer to that question, but when fresh tears suddenly spilt over her lashes, he knew she could probably use a little comfort. Pulling Zoe into his arms, he held her tight and just let her cry, relieved that she didn’t seem to want to push him away or run back out the door. She had every right to be pissed at him still, he supposed, and maybe she would be again before long, but for now, he would just hold her until she felt better.

“I’m sorry.”

He was surprised to hear her apologise when she finally moved out of his arms, swiping at her cheeks with both hands.

“Why are you sorry?” Wade checked, closing the door behind her since she seemed to be staying a while. “I’m the one that has stuff to apologise for.”

“Do you?” Zoe asked him, before shaking her head. “I really don’t think that you do,” she admitted, wandering through to the living room and dropping down to sit in the middle of the couch. “You didn’t really do anything wrong. My mom pounced, you just happened to be there. No offence, but as far as she’s concerned, you could’ve been any good-looking male that’s half her age.”

“Well, just so long as I’m still good-looking.” Wade smirked, unsure if this was really a good time for a joke, but trying it anyway.

It was such a relief when Zoe actually laughed, albeit briefly. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed then, momentarily covering her face with her hands. “What is happening to my life?”

As if someone outside of the apartment was trying to answer that question for her, Wade’s cell phone suddenly started to ring and he rushed to answer it. Lo and behold, George Tucker’s name showed on the screen and Wade quickly accepted the call.

“Tucker, you got news for me?” he said, deliberately without detail as he glanced to Zoe.

“I have,” George said solemnly, “and I think maybe you were right about Harley being Zoe’s father. I had no idea until today, but it seems it was right here in the last will and testament. Harley always intended for Zoe to inherit his half of the practice here in Bluebell.”

Wade did not know what he was supposed to say to that, so he just said nothing at all. He didn’t even realise quite how hard he was staring at Zoe until she made a face that proved he was both confusing and worrying her.

“You hear me, Wade?” said George in his ear.

“Uh, yeah, I hear you, Tucker,” he assured him, shaking his head as he made a point of looking anywhere but at Zoe for a while. “I, uh, I appreciate you lookin’ into all o’ that and... well, Zoe is here right now, so I guess I got news to tell her, don’t I?”

“I’d offer to help you out with that,” his friend said sincerely, “but I’m guessin’ you don’t wanna wait until I could get a flight.”

Glancing up at Zoe once again, Wade found her still looking concerned and he let out a sigh. “Yeah, we really don’t have the time for that. Looks like it’s all on me then.”

“Try and break it gently to her,” George advised. “It’s gonna be a hell of a shock.”

“For everyone concerned,” Wade pointed out, “but yeah, I’ll do my best. Thanks again, Tucker.”

They ended their call and Wade took a deep breath as he put the cell phone down on the table and walked back over to the couch where Zoe was waiting on him. She had to know they were talking about her, that something maybe not-so-good was about to be said.

“Zoe, baby,” said Wade, crouching down in front of her and reaching to take both her hands into both of his own. “I have somethin’ I gotta tell you right now, and I don’t know how you’re gonna take it, but I have to tell you anyway. That father you were talkin’ about when you came in, the one you found out about this mornin’ who already passed on...”

“You knew him,” Zoe said then, nodding her head. “I ended up spilling the whole story to Jonah and he told me. Harley was from Bluebell, where you guys are from. Crazy coincidence, huh?”

Wade was a little amazed to realise she knew that much, but of course, that still wasn’t everything.

“You don’t know the half of it, doc,” he told her. “See, like I told you before, my buddy George, he’s a lawyer, and when I got to talking to him about the whole Harley Wilkes maybe bein’ your daddy thing, he took a little look at the old man’s will,” he explained, really unsure as to how Zoe was going to take this news, but knowing that no matter what he was going to have to share it anyway. “See, the thing of it is, old Harley, seems he knew about you, and when he passed on, well, he put you in that will of his. Zoe, Harley left you his half of the doctoring practice down in Bluebell.”

If her eyes went any wider, Wade was sure Zoe would do herself some serious damage, but he wasn’t surprised that his news came as a shock. She was bound to have a lot of questions, and chances were good that Wade couldn’t answer any of them. The biggest one in his own mind was, of course, what in the heck happened next.


	21. Chapter 21

“Where is your head at, Kinsella?”

He barely heard the words, but the smack on the back of Wade’s head made him pay attention, as well as lash out at Clayne for daring to mess with him.

“I ain’t in the mood, man, okay?” he told him with a glare. “Not today.”

“Well, that much is obvious,” his friend and band-mate agreed, hands held up in mock surrender. “Seriously though, what is the problem? You had a face on you like a thunder cloud since we got here, and you didn’t say a word, even when Mark here piped up about dropping your song from the set list for our next round o’ gigs.”

Wade sighed heavily and put his face in his hands. He really could’ve used not having to have this meeting with the band today, but it was decided almost a week before and he knew cancelling on the guys wasn’t really an option.

Still, Clayne was right enough when he called him out for not paying attention. Wade’s brain was pretty much on another planet or at least in a very different place to his body. He wanted to be with Zoe, he needed to know she was doing okay, though he was fair certain she was not.

As if it hadn’t been bad enough when she caught Wade in a clinch with her mom, though Zoe seemed to take that shockingly well, not blaming him even a little. Then she seemed to discover that Harley Wilkes, small-town GP from none other than Bluebell, Alabama, Wade’s own hometown, was her biological daddy. Hammer blow followed hammer blow, as Zoe heard first that Harley was dead and then, shockingly, that he knew about her all along and left her his half of the practice back in Bluebell when he passed on.

It was so much to deal with, way too much, as far as Wade could tell, but Zoe had to find a way. He wanted to help her with that, he really did, but words had never really been his strong point, not unless he was writing lyrics anyway, or charming women in bars. He didn’t know how to be comforting, supportive, and certainly not clever, though he did his best.

“Look, I ain’t exactly feelin’ it today, okay?” he told the band, running a hand over his face. “Maybe we should just call it a day and I’ll go clear my head or whatever.”

Before anyone could agree or disagree, he was out of the door, wincing when he heard footsteps hurrying after him. He really did not want to fight with any of the guys right now, sure he’d end up saying or doing something regrettable if anyone started anything. They’d do better to just let him walk away and they all ought to know it by now too.

“Hey, Wade?” Jordan called behind him.

He looked back with an expression that ought to let his buddy know now wasn’t the time, but to be altogether fair to Jordan, he seemed like he was genuinely trying to be helpful.

“Look, you obviously have stuff on your mind, and I ain’t pryin’ or whatever, but if you want to talk about it or just have somebody to drown your sorrows with...?”

“Thanks, man,” said Wade, finding his friend half a smile. “I appreciate that, but honestly, you’re not the one I need to be talkin’ to right now,” he admitted, shaking his head.

“I get it,” said Jordan easily. “No problem here. I hope you get whatever’s messing you up all figured out.”

“Yeah, me too.” Wade sighed as he raised one hand in a kind of wave and walked away.

* * *

Zoe knew she should go into work. Honestly, she really wanted the distraction, but ultimately, she knew she would not be able to concentrate. In her profession, that was just dangerous. She could literally kill someone if she made the wrong choice, prescribed the wrong drug, made the wrong diagnosis. She was much safer staying at her apartment, but that meant dealing with all the muddled thoughts in her head on a constant loop that she just didn’t know how to stop.

It wasn’t as if she didn’t have anyone she could call or talk to about any of this. There was her mom, who caused the whole debacle in the first place. There was Gigi, who she was sure she could trust. There was even Jonah Breeland, who apparently knew more about Zoe’s natural father than she did, thanks to a string of coincidences. Then there was Wade.

Of all the people Zoe most wanted to have with her right now, her boyfriend was top of the list, but she knew he had a meeting with the guys from the band today and that was important. She couldn’t call him, at least, not now. She wanted to, but she couldn’t.

Picking herself up off the couch, Zoe wandered through to the kitchen and searched the cupboards for something she might want to eat. Finding nothing that appealed, she tried to fridge instead. The half bottle of white wine tempted her, and even though it was barely two in the afternoon, she gave in to that temptation.

“Why not?” she asked herself, pulling out the bottle, finding a clean glass and pouring herself an unhealthy measure.

She barely got the glass to her lips when suddenly the intercom buzzed. Zoe turned to look at the phone with an accusatory glance. Did she really want visitors? Well, that depended on who was at her door, and hey, it wasn’t as if they could get in without her say so.

“Hello?” she said into the hand-set.

“Hey, Zoe. It’s me.”

She had her finger on the button to let him up before he hardly finished speaking and was by the apartment door long before he ever finished the elevator ride to her floor. Maybe she was pathetic, but honestly, Zoe was okay with that, just for today. She needed someone, she needed him, and here he was.

“Wade,” she said, wearing her first genuine smile of the day as she went straight into his arms for a hug.

“Hey, baby,” he said as he held her tight. “You doin’ okay?”

“No,” she admitted, words muffled against his chest. “Actually, I’m doing pretty darn crappy,” she told him, looking up into his face then. “What is happening to my life?” she asked in earnest.

“Wish I knew, sweetheart” said Wade with a sigh, reaching down to tuck her hair behind her ear. “You know, I was at my meetin’ with the guys and I just couldn’t concentrate. Kept on thinkin’ about you, how tough this all had to be on you and everythin’, and I know I can’t really make anything better-”

“You can,” Zoe assured him. “Trust me, Wade, by just being here, you’re making it better,” she told him definitely.

Wade gave her a winning smile for that and a kiss too. “So, I’m guessin’ you’ve been sat in here by yourself all day, with some full-on gymnastic routine goin’ on in your head about your mom, Ethan Hart, Harley, all of that stuff?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” she insisted, dragging him over to the couch where they sat down together, their arms around each other and her head on his chest. “I mean, I have all this new information about where I come from and who I am, it’s so overwhelming, but at the same time, it’s like I know nothing at all,” she explained. “I had a father that I never met, that I can never meet now, and that is so sad and so wrong, but then there’s the whole part where he left me half a practice in his will. That’s pretty crazy, right?”

“Crazy as all get out,” Wade agreed without hesitation. “Of course, if you don’t want the practice, I guess Brick just gets to keep the whole thing, which wouldn’t bother him, I’ll bet. Beats me how he got Old Man Bryant to keep quiet about it all. I mean, they should’ve come lookin’ for you, right?”

Zoe frowned at that. She really hadn’t got as far as thinking about it in that way. She knew little about the law of wills and such, after all, she was a doctor, not a probate lawyer, but surely if somebody was listed in somebody’s will as a beneficiary, they should be sought out.

“It’s not like I’d be hard to find,” she considered aloud, sitting up to face Wade. “Hello, surgeon in New York, daughter of a world-famous cardio-thoracics expert. Well, kind of,” she said, frowning some more as she recalled again that the whole point of this was how she was not the offspring of one Ethan Hart after all. “They really cannot have tried very hard to look for me.”

“Doesn’t seem like it to me.” Wade shook his head. “So, how about we tell ‘em you’re here? I could get George Tucker to-”

“No,” Zoe said fast, shaking her head so hard her eyes almost rattled in their sockets. “Wade, I cannot just... I mean, Harley and... and Bluebell... it’s way too much!” she declared, suddenly on her feet and pacing.

Wade watched her go back and forth, realising she was beginning to lose it just a bit. He couldn’t exactly blame her for feeling out of her depth. Like she said before, she had a lot of information thrown at her in the past couple of days and none of it made a whole lot of sense. The coincidences alone were pretty incredible, and yet, here they were, in the middle of a tornado of crazy. All Wade could say in the positive about that was at least they had each other to cling to.

“I mean, what am I even supposed to do now?” Zoe asked, pacing back and forth yet. “I don’t even want to deal with my mother, the father who raised me couldn’t care less, and my real father is dead, and-”

“Hey, hey, hey,” said Wade, getting up fast and stopping her wild movements. “Sweetheart, you gotta breathe,” he advised, ensuring she did just that. “I know this is all real confusin’ and everything, but gettin’ yourself all worked up this way, it’s not gonna help any, right?”

Zoe heaved a sigh. “I know, you’re right,” she agreed, letting her head fall forward onto his chest. “Oh, Wade, why is nothing ever simple anymore?”

“I’m not so sure anything ever is,” he admitted, kissing the top of her head and hugging her as she hugged back in silence for a while after that. “Hey, Zoe?” he said after a minute or two. “Now, I know you have a lot to think about and you vetoed my idea about talking to Tucker about all this pretty fast, but... well, I was just thinkin’, what if we got out of New York for a while, away from your mom and work and all? What if... well, how about if I took you down to Bluebell?”

Her head came up off his chest so fast and her eyes were so wide, it was almost funny, except there really wasn’t anything about this situation that was amusing.

“I couldn’t just go.” Zoe shook her head, before seeming to reconsider. “Could I?”

“I don’t see why not.” Wade shrugged. “I mean, if you told the hospital you had, like, a family crisis or whatever, wouldn’t exactly be a lie, and I could talk to Brad about taking a few days out. If I told him it was for you, well, he likes you well enough, I don’t reckon he’d argue much.”

Zoe opened her mouth to tell him no, to tell him he was crazy for suggesting it, but quite honestly, the more she thought about it, the more she thought maybe it wasn’t such a bad plan. When Wade told her about Bluebell before and she said she would love to visit someday, she had meant it. Of course, she was thinking of the place as his home then, never as somewhere she was really connected too, but apparently, she was. That gave her more reasons to want to see the place, not less.

“You wouldn’t tell Bradley the details, right?” she checked.

“Not if you don’t want me to,” Wade promised. “You know, we don’t even have to tell the folks back home who you really are for a while. I mean, nothin’ about Harley or anythin’. George Tucker knows, but he’s as straight as they come. He won’t tell a soul unless I tell him he can. You could just come along with me as... well, my girlfriend, I guess,” he told her with a grin.

Zoe laughed and she wasn’t even sure what was funny. Maybe she just felt suddenly felt a little bit of happiness creeping in, after a lot of confusion and gloom. Wade did make it sound very simple and almost like a fun adventure. She supposed it really didn’t have to be anything else if she didn’t want it to be.

“Okay,” she said eventually, nodding her head.

“Okay?” Wade echoed, tilting his head as he looked at her. “That’s a yes?”

“It’s a yes,” Zoe agreed happily. “If we can figure things out with work and everything, then yes, I think we should go to Bluebell, as soon as possible.”


	22. Chapter 22

“There’s a good chance that I lost my mind somewhere between meeting you and now.” Zoe shook her head. “I’m not even kidding. I’m talking medically unsound here.”

“I’d say that wasn’t altogether flatterin’.” Wade grinned at her from the next seat over. “But I’m not catching the blame for all o’ the crazy, right?”

Zoe considered for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders. “I guess not. I mean, you’re only half the reason I’m headed to Alabama right now, and you’re not the one who lied to me about who my father was my whole life,” she said bitterly, reaching to buckle up her safety belt.

Glancing across at Wade she realised he already had his done up tight and also that he was breathing a little too fast.

“Hey, are you okay?” she checked, frowning some as he looked at her. “You look a little pale and clammy, like you’re nervous. Oh God!” she suddenly gasped. “You’re regretting this, aren’t you? You don’t want me coming to Bluebell with you and ruining your homecoming.”

“Zoe, breathe, please,” Wade urged her, reaching out to still her hands that were flapping. “Baby, this has nothin’ to do with you, okay? I promise you, I could not be happier to be goin’ on home for a while, and I will be the proudest man you ever saw in your life when I get to introduce you to everybody as my girlfriend, alright?”

“Okay,” she agreed, nodding her agreement, “but then why-?”

“It ain’t the going home that bothers me,” Wade told her fast, lowering his voice as he leaned in as close as the safety belt would allow. “It’s the gettin’ there part that freaks me out a little,” he said pointedly.

“Oh.” Zoe gasped in realisation. “You’re afraid of flying.”

“Not afraid exactly,” Wade clarified, though Zoe had a feeling that was exactly what the problem was, it was only that his fragile male ego was very uncomfortable with anything that seemed like real fear. “I just... I haven’t exactly done the whole airborne thing a bunch of times, and... well, I’m just a simple country boy, doc. Much happier with my feet on the ground, you know how it is. Guess that makes me a little less manly than you thought, huh?”

Zoe couldn’t believe that Wade thought anything would make her think less of him in any way. True enough, she had never actually said that she loved him, not in so many words, and he never said it to her either, actually, but surely, he had to know what he meant to her.

Looking at Wade now, his eyes closing as he tried to breathe deeply and be calm, Zoe was pretty sure she couldn’t love anyone more, though now probably wasn’t the time or place to say so. Instead, she put her hand on his at the arm rest between them, entwining their fingers. Wade’s eyes opened and he looked across at her, finding her half a smile.

“You’re a pretty amazing guy, Wade Kinsella,” she told him, smiling widely. “I don’t think you really need me to tell you that, but just in case you do, there it is.”

“You’re not so un-amazing yourself, doc,” he told her, grinning right back at her. “You gonna hold my hand all the way to ‘Bama?” he said, nodding to their joined hands.

“If that’s what you need,” she told him easily, only mildly surprised when he suddenly lifted their hands and kissed the back of hers.

A moment later, he was settling back in his seat, clearly trying to relax as the take-off began. Zoe did the same, even though the actual flying part of this trip didn’t bother her too much. What had her rattled was the idea of heading quite literally into the unknown. As weird a coincidence as it was that her real father and her new boyfriend came from the same small Southern town, she could not be more grateful for it. After all, facing this new and strange place all by herself would have been so much tougher. She was glad to have Wade by her side, and not just for this trip either. Zoe was pretty sure she could stand to have him with her for a lot of things and a really long time, however crazy that may seem.

‘One thing at a time,’ she told herself silently as the plane headed up into the clouds and all the way down to Alabama.

* * *

“Now you’re the one looking a might nervous, doc,” Wade told her as they headed through Mobile airport together.

“I’m fine,” she promised, waving her hand in front of her face. “I’m pretty sure what you’re seeing is the start of heatstroke more than anything else.”

“Yeah, it’s prob’ly a little warmer than you’re used to,” he realised belatedly. “Now you know how tough it was on me, those cold winter months in New York. Never known cold like that, but I guess either way, you get used to it eventually.”

“I guess,” Zoe agreed, nodding her head.

She really did look a little wobbly, Wade thought, and he was not entirely buying her heatstroke story. She had to be nervous, he was sure on that, even if this wasn’t the place her real daddy hailed from. Remembering how out of his depth he felt up north, Wade well understood how nervous Zoe had to be coming down south to meet everybody he knew and see the place he called home. All the paternity stuff on top of that, it was enough to rattle the calmest of folks, he reckoned.

“Hey, come on now,” he said, reaching down with his free hand and entwining their fingers just as she done for him on the plane. “We got this, okay?” he said, meting her gaze, glad to see her finally smile.

“Yeah, we got this,” she agreed, forcing a deep breath through her lungs.

“Hey, Wade Kinsella!” a voice boomed then, catching the attention of both of them.

“Hey, man!” Wade replied in kind, mindful not to let go of Zoe’s hand to go rushing towards his friend, but keeping to a steady pace she could match as they headed on over. “How’re you doin’, Lavon?”

“All the better for seein’ you, Wade, m’boy,” his friend told him happily. “And this must be the famous Miss Zoe.”

“Sure is. Dr Zoe Hart, meet Lavon Hayes. Lavon, Zoe.”

There was a moment when Zoe just stared, not moving, not saying a single word. If it was concerning for Lavon it was doubly so for Wade, until finally she shook herself out of it and apologised.

“I’m so sorry, but when Wade told me he knew Lavon Hayes, the line-backer, I kind of thought he was kidding,” she admitted, biting her lip guiltily.

“You thought I made up the fact I knew an ex-NFL player?” Wade checked, almost sure he ought to be offended, and yet, he supposed he kind of understood it.

“It’s a big deal, Wade!” Zoe told him excitedly. “Lavon Hayes!” she repeated, pointing at the man in question. “He’s a legend. Two Super Bowls, four Pro Bowls, which by the way, should’ve been five,” she insisted, turning her head to look to Lavon himself then. “You got robbed in ‘06,” she said very seriously.

“Oh, I like her,” Lavon told Wade with a wide smile.

“Yeah, that ain’t hard to do,” he agreed, squeezing Zoe’s hand and finding the way she blushed a little somewhat amusing as well as sweet.

Lavon grabbed the luggage then and led the way to his car to take them on to Bluebell. On the way, he was telling Wade how glad everybody was to know he was coming back for a visit and also how all those same folks were looking forward to meeting Zoe.

That nervous look was soon back on her face and Wade made a point of squeezing her hand and letting her know with a smile that everything was going to be just fine. It seemed to settle her down a little, but Wade knew the nerves were going nowhere until they actually got to town and Zoe got a chance to meet a few more people who would be nice to her and make her feel at home.

“You know, I had to talk Lemon and Annabeth out of this whole welcome home party they had planned?” Lavon explained as he drove, talking loud enough for his passengers to hear clearly from the back seat. “I swear, they would’ve bussed the whole of Bluebell right over to the airport to give you a real Beatles style welcome off the plane. Even when I talked ‘em outta that, they all wanted to gather at the plantation with their banners and cakes and pies and all, but I figured you two prob’ly didn’t wanna come in to a three-ring circus affair, especially not at this hour, right?”

“Really didn’t,” Zoe told him fast. “Not that it’s not very sweet that they want to welcome me, and welcome Wade home, I guess. Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, turning to her boyfriend then. “Would you have wanted all that?”

“Seriously, Zoe?” he said, shaking his head. “Girl, you know me better than that.”

“I don’t know,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. “You never seemed to mind when all the girls in the clubs were screaming at you,” she reminded him with a look.

“Well, who in their right mind complains about somethin’ like that?” he challenged her. “If a bunch of people stood around cheering for you every time you did one o’ your surgeries, would you complain?”

“That would be weird.” Zoe frowned some, though after she considered it, she had to admit the truth. “But, actually, it might be kind of cool too.”

“So, that mean I shoulda let the Belles go nuts and have their whole welcoming shindig?” asked Lavon, sounding a little nervous and a lot confused.

“Nah, man, it’s better this way,” Wade insisted. “I like me a happy audience when I’m performing and all, but honestly? That ain’t what I’m looking for when I come home. Right now, I just wanna get into my own place and my own bed... with my own girlfriend,” he said, looking across at Zoe.

She was smiling even as she smacked him in the chest for what he said in front of what she would probably consider company. Tough New Yorker chick that she was, she had her bashful moments and she was never cuter than when she did. Honestly, Wade wasn’t sure he could find any part of Zoe’s character that he didn’t love. It was probably something he should tell her sometime, the thought had crossed his mind, more than once, but there never seemed to be a good moment, especially not lately since everything got so crazy.

Besides, he wasn’t exactly the ‘I love you’ type. It would be a first for Wade, to say it to a woman like her, where he seriously meant it anyway. He had loved his momma and he loved old Earl, faults and all, plus a few friends he was real close to, but Wade Kinsella was realising, more and more with each passing day, that he was _in_ love with Zoe, and there was just no coming back from that.

“You okay?” she asked, catching him staring.

“More than okay, Zoe Hart,” he promised, leaning across to kiss her lips.

A minute or so later, they were brought out of a real nice moment by Lavon clearing his throat and letting them know they had arrived. Wade sat back in his seat, pointing out the window on Zoe’s side.

“See that right there? That’s the gatehouse, my place,” he explained. “I know it ain’t much but-”

“It looks great,” Zoe assured him with a bright smile as Lavon brought the car around and parked up, the three of them disembarking at last.

Wade watched Zoe as she wandered forward, taking a moment to just breathe in her new surroundings. Her eyes were everywhere, like a kid seeing Disneyland for the first time or something, when all she was really looking at was his gatehouse, all lit up with it’s usual coloured lights, the tumbledown carriagehouse across the way, and the lake in-between. He supposed it’d look pretty different to anything she had seen before, he had suspected it would be all kinds of disappointing after the skyscrapers and bright lights of New York City, but when Zoe turned around to face him then, her smile had never been brighter.

“It’s so peaceful here,” she said happily, “and so pretty. I love it already,” she declared, throwing herself into his arms.

Wade had to admit, if only inside his own head, that he was more than happy to have her there. This amazing woman who had come to mean so much to him so damn fast, standing there in his arms, in the middle of the place he called home. What could be better than that?


	23. Chapter 23

Waking up slowly, finding herself sprawled on Wade’s chest with his arm around her, Zoe didn’t even wonder why the world looked different for a minute or two, and when she did notice, she smiled.

Honestly, she hadn’t been so sure she could sleep in a place as quiet as Bluebell. Nice as it seemed at first glance, she was used to noise, the hustle and bustle of the big city, cars honking, planes flying overhead, the city that never sleeps. Alabama was like a whole other world, peaceful, pretty, all clear sky and open spaces. Not that Zoe had seen all that much yet. It was already dark by the time Lavon got them back to his plantation and there wasn’t much to do but go right to bed.

Wade sure hadn’t objected to Zoe wanting an early night, and though she had told him she meant to get some sleep, she hadn’t exactly argued when he suggested an alternative plan. Then she actually had fallen asleep pretty fast, exhausted from the plane journey and the strain of the past few days and weeks, she supposed. She hadn’t stirred once, not until now, with the sun streaming in the windows behind the bed, lighting up the view outside of the sparkling lake and the other little house across the way.

“That is a beautiful view,” she said to herself with a contented sigh.

“Ain’t so bad from here either,” said Wade, startling her a little as she suddenly looked down and found him grinning at her. “Mornin’, doc.”

“Morning, cowboy,” she replied, leaning down to kiss him.

He wasn’t exactly into the idea of letting her go once he had a hold again and Zoe didn’t mind at all. They were soon rolling around in the bed together, half way to someplace good, when suddenly she pulled away.

“Wade, it’s not that this isn’t great, but I really don’t think I can until I eat something,” she told him, making a face. “That unattractive noise you hear, that would be my stomach complaining that you didn’t feed me last night.”

“Well, excuse me, doc,” he said, chuckling at the look on her face, “but food didn’t exactly seem to be what you was hungry for when you dragged me into bed.”

“Oh, right,” she said, laughing even as she tried to be mad at him. “You were just kicking and screaming to get away, obviously.”

“Like I’d even try to resist you,” he said, stealing one more kiss before he hopped out of bed. “Come on now, get yourself some clothes on and I’ll take you someplace for breakfast... or lunch maybe,” he considered, picking his watch up from the nightstand and squinting at it. “Seems we really did sleep in,” he told Zoe, showing her the time.

“Wow”, she gasped at the realisation it was close to noon. “I don’t think I realised how much I needed a good night’s sleep. I never sleep that well back home, not even with you.”

“Good country air, doc, plus all this peace and quiet we got down here. Who knows? Might make a new woman of ya.”

“Are you suggesting I need to change, Wade Kinsella?” Zoe challenged him, standing before him in all her glory, not even blushing as he looked her up and down.

“Baby, I’d be a damn fool if I did,” he said definitely.

Zoe smiled up at him. “Right answer.”

She reached for her clothes to get dressed then and, tempted as he was to make another attempt at getting her back into bed, Wade did the same. Truth be told, he was starting to notice by then that he could use some sustenance himself, and he really was kind of eager to get into town and see some folks he had been parted from too long.

“I wouldn’t say I’m exactly the sentimental type,” he was telling Zoe a while later as he drove them towards the Rammer Jammer, “but it feels pretty good comin’ home like this. Never thought I’d miss the old place or any of its crazy folks so much as I did when I actually left it behind.”

“Home is where the heart is, at least, that’s what they say,” Zoe considered, eyes fixed on the view from the window as she took in the sights.

“Yeah, well, I don’t deny I left a part of me here when I came up to New York and all,” Wade admitted. “Still, that doesn’t mean my heart wasn’t in everything I was doin’ up there.”

Zoe turned to look at him then and Wade very deliberately kept his eyes on the road ahead. Even he wasn’t sure exactly what he meant when he said that. Sure, he put his heart and soul into his music, but then there was Zoe and this relationship they had built in the past few months. He was pretty sure a whole lot of his heart was tied up in that, but saying so, that weren’t exactly Wade Kinsella’s style. Dating one woman and wanting nobody but her wasn’t normal for him either, but he was doing it and he had no inlication to stop right now.

“Well, this is it,” he said as the eatery came into view. “Welcome to the Rammer Jammer, Zoe,” he told her, pulling up the truck out front and killing the engine.

“Wow,” she said, staring up at the building. “This is where you worked? Before you were famous?”

Wade rolled his eyes at that. “Wouldn’t exactly call me famous yet, doc, least not outside of Alabama or New York and such, but yeah, this is the place. I waited tables from the age of fourteen or so, then started tending bar just as soon as they’d let me. It’s been a big part of my life, I guess, and so have all the folks in it.”

“Then I would love to meet them all,” Zoe told him, her hand suddenly on top of his own. “C’mon, Kinsella, buy me some fried chicken and grits,” she urged him, in her best Southern accent that didn’t fail to make him wince.

“Yeah, we gotta work on that some more,” he advised as they both hopped out of the truck and headed into the Rammer Jammer.

Zoe tried not to be nervous as they went inside, but tough as New Yorkers were supposed to be, she couldn’t help but be a little apprehensive. Wade had been the stranger in her world before, now the tables had turned, and as much as she trusted him to be her guide and her protector if she needed him to be, it still felt very far removed from her comfort zone. Besides, there was also a voice in the back of her mind reminding her that this wasn’t just her boyfriend’s home town. This was also where her natural father was from. Part of her own blood came from this place.

“Finally, the famous Zoe Hart.”

She snapped back to reality very fast when she realised she was being introduced to a stranger who was smiling at her like a toothpaste commercial.

“You know, I was startin’ to think maybe Wade just went ahead and made you up for a while there.”

Zoe was sure she was blushing as the charming man before her kissed her hand and paid her compliments. He really was all kinds of handsome. Not as good-looking as Wade, and Zoe was absolutely sure she would never want to trade one for the other, but all the same, there was nothing bad about this George Tucker guy as far as she could tell.

“Now you know why we call him Golden Boy.” Wade rolled his eyes at what he clearly saw as his friend’s gag-worthy behaviour.

“Only you call me that,” George reminded him with a look, “and I have asked you, repeatedly, to stop.”

Zoe hid a snigger behind her hand as she and Wade joined George at the bar. Grabbing a menu, she was soon putting in an order of food that she knew she would want to eat, despite her jokes about Southern delicacies before they came in. That could all wait for another day. Right now, she was just hungry.

Wade ordered lunch too, plus a round of drinks, all the while being interrupted by many a friend and neighbour who wanted to welcome him home and meet Zoe too.

“I think I met half the town already,” she said before they had barely started eating.

“Everybody who is anybody wants to meet the famous Zoe Hart who has tamed the town wild boy that is Wade Kinsella,” George told her with a twinkle in his eye. “I swear, Wade, we were all startin’ to think you would never settle down, and when you went off to New York to be a rockstar and all, well, the last thing anybody expected was for you to bring home an actual bonafide, serious girlfriend.”

“Geez, Tucker, it’s not like we’re gettin’ married or anythin’,” Wade pointed out, rolling his eyes.

Zoe wasn’t sure why that remark stung like it did, but she actually felt herself wince and hated that she had. What Wade said was perfectly true, they weren’t getting married, they hadn’t even told each other ‘I love you’ yet, and since they had only been dating a little while, that was perfectly fine. She shook it off fast and pressed forward with a different line of conversation.

“So, George, you lived in New York for a while, right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed, nodding his head. “I have to admit, I did love a lot of things about that place, not least the job satisfaction and all, but at the end of the day, my heart belongs in Bluebell,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “I just had to come home. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss it sometimes. The museums, the art galleries, the atmosphere, oh, and the food. You know, there was this restaurant, it had the most amazing risotto...”

“Per Se!” Zoe found herself exclaiming, perhaps a little too loudly. “I love that place.”

“I guess that was a good choice when I was making recommendations to Wade then, huh?”

“So good. Ooh, you know what else I really love? The buttercup cod at Bond Street.”

Once they started there was no stopping them. Zoe couldn’t help but get caught up in swapping restaurant names and favourite dishes with George, and he just lit up, having somebody to talk to about New York again. Never mind that they might have included Wade in their conversation. Sure, he wasn’t so much the fancy eatery type as they were, but he went to those places too. Well, at least one of them that time with Zoe anyway.

Wade finished up his lunch and pushed the plate away a little harder than he needed too. He wasn’t sure what it was about Zoe and Tucker getting along that ruffled his feathers, or maybe he knew exactly and that was the problem. It shouldn’t bother him that they found something to talk about, he knew that damn well, and yet.

“So, how’re things with you and Tansy, George?” he asked, the moment he found a gap in the conversation that seemed to have moved on to Woody Allen movie marathons and the such like. “You two still dating?”

“Uh, yes, we are.” George nodded, looking just a little bashful somehow. “You know, Wade, I need to say again how much I appreciate you bein’ so understanding about that whole situation.”

“Come on, Tucker.” Wade rolled his eyes. “You’re talkin’ about ancient history.”

“Ancient history?” Zoe echoed, looking between the two guys sat either side of her. “Am I missing something?”

George opened his mouth as if to explain, when suddenly a pair of hands covered his eyes from behind.

“Guess who?” asked the pretty blonde with a giggle.

Zoe watched as George spun around and embraced what had to be the very woman Wade had asked about. Tansy, that was what Zoe thought they said, though the rest of the conversation had confused her a little, unless...

“Zoe Hart, Tansy Truitt,” Wade introduced the two. “Your timing is amazing, by the way.”

Tansy looked a little bemused by Wade’s comment about her well-timed entrance, but recovered fast and extended a hand to Zoe.

She dutifully took hold, shaking politely. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Tansy smiled widely. “So, you and Wade, huh?”

“Yep, me and Wade.” Zoe nodded her agreement. “So, before you and George got together, _you_ and Wade...?”

“Oh, right,” said Tansy, looking not at all concerned about what she was saying, “but me and Wade, that’s ancient history,” she insisted, just as Wade had done himself. “Dumbest thing two people ever did on a fishing boat, far as I know,” she added, laughing loudly.

Zoe frowned, looking from Tansy to Wade and wondering why he couldn’t look at her. She didn’t care too much if they used to date. After all, she had exes, Wade did too, and from the way he told it, the reputation he had, there had been a lot for him. Still, Tansy seemed more relevant somehow. Not just a one-night stand, not if George had been concerned Wade might mind him dating her.

“Wow, that was a long time ago,” he said, shifting awkwardly on his stool.

“What was a long time ago?” Zoe pressed.

There was a look in her eyes when Wade glanced up then that he didn’t much like. It occurred to him too late that maybe when a guy finally got to a place where he wanted to be serious about a woman, maybe then he ought to tell her about things like ex-wives and such. Of course, he was also pretty sure that the middle of the Rammer Jammer was no place for a confession. It also occurred to him, altogether too late, that he wasn’t going to get the chance to explain this to Zoe properly, because Tansy, bless her heart, must have figured his new girlfriend already knew enough that sharing wasn’t a problem.

“Oh, you know, when me and Wade got hitched and all.” Tansy rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what we was thinkin’.”

Wade winced so hard he felt a headache coming on, hardly daring to look at Zoe because he already knew she was not going to have taken this well at all. As if she hadn’t had enough shocks of late, what with him getting caught in a lip-lock with her momma, and then all the stuff about Harley and everything. Probably finding out he had an ex-wife was one shock too many. The look on her face sure made Wade think so.

“Zoe?” he said carefully. “Uh, you doin’ okay?”

Swallowing visibly hard, she put on her best smile and nodded her head. “I’m just fine,” she promised him. “And it has been great talking to you, George, and meeting you, Tansy, the _ex-wife_ ,” she said pointedly, “but I really have to go now.”

She had her purse on her shoulder and was hustling out the door so fast, Wade barely had a chance to throw some money on their bill before he had to literally run after her.

“Should I not have said...?” Tansy was asking as he breezed past her and George, apologising for the hasty exit.

“That could’ve gone better,” he said to himself as he reached the door and realised Zoe had walked right by the truck, headed God only knew where. “Hey, Zoe!” he called behind her, running to catch up, which didn’t take too much effort with her in her fancy heels and him having the longer legs and all. “Will you slow down already?” he said as he took a hold of her arm. “Damn it, girl, where’d you even think you were headed in a town you never been to before?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Zoe yelled, rounding on him and pulling her arm from his grasp at the same time. “Is there anywhere around here where I won’t run into another of your ex-wives?”

“Zoe, come on.” Wade sighed, trying to play it off like no big deal, even though he knew it actually was. “Like we said back there, me and Tans, that’s ancient history. Yes, we got married, but it’s not like it sounds. We weren’t that kind of married.”

“There’s only one kind of married, Wade!” Zoe told him crossly. “My God, what else do I not know about you?”

“Well, hell, Zoe, probably a whole bunch of stuff,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, “but you don’t have to take it all this way. Geez, you never made a mistake in your life?”

“You know, what? Yes, Wade. Yes, I have made mistakes in my life,” she said, meeting his gaze with tears in her eyes that were so much worse than the anger and shock. “And right now, I’m pretty sure one of the biggest was getting mixed up with a guy like you.”

Before he could even open his mouth to reply to that, Zoe had turned away and was on the move again, moving awful fast for a girl that short and in heels that high. Still, Wade could have caught up to her, he knew he could, he almost went ahead and did it, but Zoe had made it plenty clear she did not want his company right now. Probably best he let her calm down some before he tried again. Anyway, it wasn’t as if she could get into too much trouble in Bluebell.

“Wade Kinsella?” someone suddenly called, an unmistakable voice that he well could have done without hearing right this minute.

“Lemon Breeland,” he said, forcing a smile as she rushed over to hug him hello.

“Now, what are you trying to pull now?” she asked him with that big sister type, mock-angry tone she liked to use so much with him. “I go over to the plantation to welcome you home and you’re already gone, so I drag myself all over town lookin’, and when I finally find you here, you seem ready to set off again. Now, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were avoiding me.”

“Ain’t even like that, Lemon,” Wade promised her, eyes fixed on the middle distance in the direction that Zoe had walked away a minute before. “I, uh... I’d love to get caught up, and even introduce you to my new girlfriend that I know you were so excited to meet, but the truth is... well, I ain’t so sure she wants to be my girlfriend anymore.”

The look on Lemon’s face was a picture of shock and confusion. “You wanna talk about it?” she asked then.

Wade sighed. “Can’t make it any worse,” he decided, shrugging his shoulders and even managing a half a smile as Lemon put her arm around him and they took a walk together.


	24. Chapter 24

“Wade, you may be all kinds of successful in your career in New York, but I swear, you are just as clueless as you have ever been right now.”

“Gee, thanks, Lemon, that really helps me out a lot,” he dead-panned, picking up his tea and taking a drink, wishing it was something stronger but not daring to ask for it right now. “Here was me thinkin’ you were gonna make me feel better about this whole mess I got myself into.”

“Now, how on God’s green and virtuous earth am I supposed to perform such a miracle?” his friend asked him, shaking her head. “Wade, you shock us all by tellin’ us you have finally found a woman you want to spend more than a weekend with, you bring her town to introduce her to us all as your permanent girlfriend, and before she meets even a half-dozen people in town, you go ahead and screw it up.”

“Nuh-uh,” Wade forced out, barely swallowing his mouthful of tea and prising the glass away from his mouth fast enough. “It was not me that screwed up. That was all on Tansy.”

Lemon shook her head at him. “Tansy Truitt may not be the most intellectual woman on this planet, Wade, but from what you tell me, all she is truly guilty of is assuming you might just have told your new, serious girlfriend that you used to be a married man. That is something you’re supposed to share, Wade, because marriage is a big deal, or Lord knows it should be,” she said, rolling her eyes at just how foolish her friend could truly be, apparently.

Wade sure did feel like a fool, though he wasn’t about to admit as much to Lemon. He felt certain she would be on his side in all this, if anybody would. They propped each other up well enough in times of crisis over the years. Not a likely pair of friends, that was for sure, and certainly never any more than friends either, but if he had ever wanted a sister type in his life, Wade supposed Lemon might just be it. Unfortunately, that didn’t always mean she was automatically on his side.

“Figured it’d be all girls together,” he said with a sigh.

“Do not even try that with me, Wade Kinsella,” said Lemon snippily. “Now, you’re not as dumb as you let people think you are. You know very well why Zoe is so mad with you. Now, how would you feel if you suddenly found out that she had been married and never told you?”

“Well, I... I wouldn’t care about that,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

Not that it did him any good to lie, something he knew long before Lemon gave him the look that told him so.

“Alright, so, I wouldn’t exactly be thrilled, I guess,” he admitted, rubbing at his forehead. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do about it now. I can’t go back and fix it before it happened. It’s done, Zoe knows I was married to Tansy, and apparently, she’s just mad as hell about it.”

He must really have looked as sad about that as he felt, because before he knew it, Lemon’s arm was around his shoulders and she was putting on her best pity face. Wade could’ve done without it, truth be told, but so long as she was being comforting and whatnot, he’d take what he could get. He did feel awful about this whole mess.

“First thing first,” she said after a while. “You need to give Zoe her time and space. Us women like to be chased after once in a while, but we also need some breathing room when we get mad. I don’t know much about New Yorkers, but I know they can be violent creatures when roused. We don’t want her taking a swing at you.”

Wade laughed heartily at that, and not because he didn’t think Zoe had it in her to throw a punch if she needed to either.

“Yeah, ‘cause a Southern girl never hurt a fly when she was hoppin’ mad,” he said, wondering how Lemon could even dare to try and look affronted at the remark. “I had my share of bruises when you got pissed over the years, Lemon Breeland, and I know George Tucker could say the same.”

“Maybe that’s true,” Lemon said, trying to be prim and proper as she sat up in her chair and poured a little more tea into her glass. “But we are not here to discuss me or the men in my life.”

There was something in the way she said it that made Wade wonder. After all, when he left town for New York, Lemon and George hadn’t been broken up all that long, and though he knew that Golden Boy had moved on to Tansy now, he couldn’t think who Lemon might be seeing, if anyone.

“What?” she asked when she caught him staring, one hand going to her own cheek. “Is there somethin’ on my face?”

“You got yourself some new fella, Lemon?”

“That is certainly none of your business, Wade Kinsella,” she told him, though the haughty tone she seemed to be aiming for didn’t quite hold and a smile pulled at her lips. “I’m sure if you ask anybody in town, they will tell you I am free as a bird since the breaking of my engagement with George Tucker.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet folks in town don’t know it yet, but I know you, Lemon Breeland,” he reminded her. “So, spill already.”

She seemed to consider it pretty carefully, before finally she sighed and gave in.

“It is all very new yet... well, sort of,” she said thoughtfully before pressing on. “It is certainly complicated, and I’ll thank you to keep to yourself all that I am about to tell you.”

“Scout’s honour,” Wade swore, making some attempt at the correct salute and failing.

Lemon rolled her eyes at him, but continued explaining herself anyway. “So, it’s only been a few weeks since the mayor and I became closer... again.”

* * *

Zoe had no idea where she was headed when she came storming out of the Rammer Jammer and away from Wade. Given the length of the drive from the plantation to town, Zoe didn’t fancy her chances of getting back there on foot, not in the high-heeled shoes she was wearing anyway. Unfortunately, she really didn’t know anybody in town all that well, just Wade. She had shaken a few hands and been told a few names, but nothing that stuck and nobody she felt she could run to in a crisis.

Circling the town square for the third time, Zoe eventually gave up and sat down on an empty bench to rest a minute and think. She supposed she could maybe get a cab back to the plantation, though she hadn’t seen anything like a taxi service around the place. She did note a cute bed and breakfast called the Whippoorwill Blossom that she could probably stay at until she arranged a way to get back to New York, because Zoe was sure she couldn’t stand to stay in Bluebell with Wade after the events of today.

“Well, hey there, pretty doctor,” said a voice then, making Zoe physically jump.

She looked up into the face of an older man she was sure she had never met before, and yet there was something sort of familiar about him. Maybe he was one of the many Wade had introduced her to at the Rammer Jammer. She supposed he must be since he seemed to know she was a doctor.

“Hello,” she said with a bright smile. “I’m so sorry, I don’t think I remember your name.”

“That’d be ‘cause we never did meet before today,” said the stranger with a chuckle as he sat down beside her on the bench. “I will be havin’ words with my son about his manners, believe you me.”

“Your son?” she checked, the pieces clicking together in her mind just a little too late as the man explained who he was at last.

“Earl Kinsella,” he said, sticking out his hand. “Pleased to meet you at last, Zoe Hart.”

“Oh, okay. Wade’s father,” she replied, taking a hold of his hand and shaking. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise. Um, how did you know...?”

“Well, he gave a pretty good description, and most folks around here don’t dress quite so... city,” Earl explained. “’Course, it helped that half the town is talkin’ about you too. Ol’ Frank in The Dixie Stop pointed you out to me. I tell you, when I catch up to that boy o’ mine. I don’t know what he was thinkin’ just leavin’ you out here all by yourself and all.”

Zoe smiled at his concern, but also shook her head. “Wade didn’t leave me here. I... Well, I came into town alone, from the Rammer Jammer,” she explained. “We kind of had a fight.”

She realised the moment the words were said that maybe she should have kept her mouth shut. Though Zoe didn’t feel like she owed Wade much consideration right now, after the lack of it he had shown towards her in keeping his ex-wife a secret, she wasn’t sure she wanted to tell tales to his father. It was hardly an adult way to behave, after all.

“What did he do?” Earl asked then, completely willing to believe it was all Wade’s fault apparently, even though Zoe had yet to explain the situation. “I tell you, my Wade, he is a fine boy, but sometimes, he just doesn’t think. Can’t exactly put all the blame on him, I ain’t always been the smartest guy myself, but that boy, I swear he doesn’t know a good thing when he has it!” he said crossly, slapping his own knee.

“You shouldn’t be mad at him on my account,” Zoe insisted. “Really, I don’t want to cause a problem with the two of you, this is really between me and Wade. Well, it’s kind of between me and Wade and his ex-wife,” she admitted then, figuring she may as well, when she had already come this far.

“Ex-wife?” Earl frowned hard, rubbing the back of his neck and reminding Zoe so much of Wade in that moment, she almost laughed out loud. “Oh, you mean little Tansy? Well, that wasn’t nothin’ serious. Not that I think it was the right thing for the two of them to be doin’, gettin’ wed for the fun of it and all. Marriage is a sacred bond, let me tell you, and not to be taken lightly,” he insisted.

“I agree.” Zoe nodded, glad to see him smile.

“Well, that tells me you’re a good girl, just the right kind for my Wade to be gettin’ serious about,” said Earl happily. “But you know, you don’t have to worry none about Tansy. She liked Wade well enough, but they haven’t been courtin’ for a long time... if they ever were,” he considered then. “I’ll be honest with you, pretty doctor, never did quite wrap my head around what went on there, but it was a long time since, that I do know.”

Zoe opened her mouth to say something else, but fast realised she had no idea what that something was and closed it again. After all, Earl had just confirmed what Wade already told her, that his marriage to Tansy was little more than a farce and over many years before. She had nothing to worry about on that score, not least because Tansy was dating George now. Zoe supposed she probably could’ve handled hearing the news a little better than she had, that much of the problem was her own trust issues rather than anything Wade had deliberately hidden from her.

“So, you two had a fight already, huh?” Earl sighed. “You know, me and my Jacqueline, Wade’s momma, we didn’t fight much, she was just too sweet-natured and I was just plum crazy about her,” he said, eyes focused on some unseen picture from the past, Zoe suspected, as he continued on. “No, we didn’t get into too many fights, but when we did, well, they was some real tear-ups. Always made it up though, every time, and always before the sun sets. That’s important. Never go to bed mad at each other, doesn’t do a soul no good.”

When Zoe looked at him then and Earl looked back, she couldn’t help but smile. The familiarity in his face made sense now, and when he talked about his wife like that, eyes so soft and full of love, he was so obviously a part of Wade. He looked at her like that sometimes. Most of the time, actually. Seeing such a similar expression on Earl’s face, it made her wonder how she ever got so mad at Wade in the first place.

“You know, you’re a lot like your son, Mr Kinsella,” she said politely, “or I guess, he’s a lot like you.”

“I hope he turns out better than me.” Earl shook his head. “I had my share of problems... well, he prob’ly told you.”

“He did,” Zoe admitted, “but he also told me how proud he is of you now, getting past all your troubles. Being strong enough to overcome an addiction like that, it’s a big deal.”

“My son finally fallin’ in love with a real nice young lady he can settle down with,” said Earl with a look, “ _that_ is a big deal,” he insisted.

Zoe hadn’t realised quite how much everybody seemed to think she and Wade were for the long haul, and since she never met the townsfolk of Bluebell before today, they had to have gotten that idea from Wade himself. Not that she had a problem with thinking of them as sticking together for a long time, she supposed. Of course, before that, they were going to have to move past today’s stupid fight.

* * *

It was a hell of a relief to Wade when he walked into the gatehouse and found Zoe sitting there. There had been a horrible moment when he considered that maybe she would’ve just packed up her bags and gone running back to New York after their fight. Maybe he ought to have known better, but then, as he reminded himself several times today, in the grand scheme of things, they really hadn’t known each other that long at all.

“Hi,” she said as he walked in.

“Hey there, doc,” he replied, finding her a smile. “You, uh, maybe a little less pissed at me than you was before?”

“Maybe a little,” she agreed, nodding her head.

A brief pause was followed by them both declaring they were sorry at exactly the same moment.

“Hold on a second now,” said Wade then, one hand rubbing his forehead. “What are _you_ sorry for?” 

“Acting like a crazy person?” Zoe suggested, moving over on the couch a little, a clear invitation to join her, so he did. “I mean, yes, I was shocked when Tansy said you two were married before, and I still think you should’ve told me something like that.”

“I should,” Wade agreed, “and I am sorry about that, Zoe, I really am.”

“I know,” she assured him, “but I definitely over-reacted too. I just... I have trust issues. I don’t think that should be so surprising, given my parents. All three of them,” she said after a moment’s consideration.

“Yeah, I get that,” he told her, nodding his head. 

It did make sense, how Zoe reacted. She did not want their relationship to reflect anything she had seen happen with her folks, and Wade well understood that. On his part, he would so much like to see him and Zoe being just as happy as his momma and old Earl had been once upon a time. It came as a surprise to him to realise she meant quite that much, that he could ever be quite so committed to just one girl, but he was, and it was Zoe.

“I’ve just never had a real relationship, Wade,” she told him then, looking fit for tears and near breaking his heart at a look. “I don’t know how to do this.”

“Me neither,” he reminded her easily, shifting a little closer. “You just gotta wing it. We’re both gonna make our mistakes, Zoe, but we’ll figure it out somehow. I know we will. For instance, from here on out, I will be sure to tell you any big news, past or present, that I have to share,” he promised her faithfully.

“And I will try not to freak out about things so easily.” Zoe nodded. “As if I don’t have enough in my life to stress about without adding things that barely matter anymore to the list.”

“Sounds like a deal, doc.” Wade smiled, pulling her closer and kissing her temple. “So, we’re good?”

“We’re good,” she assured him, returning the favour with his kiss on his cheek.

When she pulled back, she had the oddest look on her face and Wade was almost certain he was in trouble for something new, though he hadn’t a clue what it might be.

“What?” he asked warily.

Zoe opened and closed her mouth a couple of times without saying a word and then suddenly she smiled. “I’m glad we’re going to try harder, both of us, because I really want this to work. I... The truth is, Wade, I... I realised today that I just love you.”

It was maybe the last thing he expected her to say, and on hearing those words, knowing she probably expected the same to be said back to her, Wade was sure he ought to be petrified, but he wasn’t, not even a little.

“You know, what, doc?” he said, smiling genuinely. “That works out pretty good, because I also love you.”

They were both grinning like fools as they moved in closer, lips meeting in a kiss that sealed the love between them, hands all over each other as they laid down on the couch together, forgetting not just their own stupid fight, but the whole rest of the world for a while.


	25. Chapter 25

The thought had occurred to Zoe that it might we weird, going to a town she had never heard of just a few months ago, in a part of the country she never thought to set foot in, to be introduced to a lot of unfamiliar people as local-boy-turned-rockstar Wade Kinsella’s girlfriend. Mostly, Dr Zoe Hart was known for her own reputation, her medical expertise, not just for being somebody else’s other half. Not that she minded it too much. She certainly wasn’t ready to reveal to everybody she met that she was actually the natural daughter of one of their deceased residents. That could most definitely wait until later.

“You’re doin’ it again,” said Wade, looking across the room at her from the end of the bed where he was sat fastening his shoe.

“Doing what?” asked Zoe, shaking her head.

“That thing where there’s an Olympic gymnastic routine goin’ on inside your head,” he told her with a smirk. “I know you well enough by now, doc, I can tell.”

“I can’t help it,” she said with a sigh, coming over to sit by him. “Everybody here is so nice, even Lemon Breeland who you warned me could be kind of prickly. I mean, George, Lavon, Annabeth, Tom and Wanda, your dad, obviously, they’ve just been so kind and welcoming these past few days.”

“And this makes you think too hard?” Wade checked, looking confused.

Zoe couldn’t blame him since she was aware she probably wasn’t making an awful lot of sense right now. If everything was so great, why worry? In actual fact, that was just exactly what was making her so nervous, that it was all going just a little too well.

“They don’t really know who I am,” she tried to explain. “I mean as far as anyone here knows, I’m just Zoe Hart, Wade’s girlfriend.”

He looked a little hurt when he replied; “That’s a bad thing now?”

“No. Oh, no, it’s a great thing,” she assured him. “Come on, you know it is.”

“I like to think so,” said Wade, the smirk returning to his lips and Zoe was more than glad to see it.

The last thing this situation needed was the added awfulness of him thinking she regretted anything that had happened between them thus far. That was absolutely not the case at all. Wade was so far from being the problem, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one to worry about.

“I was just thinking that... well, we’re sort of lying to everybody,” she explained then. “They only know half the story, well, except George and maybe Dr Breeland. Don’t you think it’s weird that he never said anything?”

“Who, Brick?”

Zoe nodded her head. “I was waiting for him to say something, the second you introduced us. I mean, he has to know my name from before, but he didn’t react at all.”

“Maybe he forgot your name.” Wade shrugged easily. “It’s been more’n a year since Harley... well, since he passed away,” he said carefully, clearly realising she might not be okay with the big D word. “I’m sorry, doc, I didn’t mean to...”

“It’s okay,” she assured him, smiling bravely, hardly realising how obvious her grief must be until he started to apologise so much. “Seriously, you should ignore me. I know I’m being stupid.”

She moved to get up, but Wade grabbed her hand and pulled her right back down beside him before she could get away.

“Hey, you are never stupid, doc,” he promised her, taking her chin in his hand. “Little crazy sometimes, maybe, and that’s no problem to me, but never stupid,” he said sincerely, kissing her lips and smiling when he got the same expression out of her. “Now, how you wanna fill this day we got lying ahead of us? Pretty sure Lavon will have laid on some breakfast up at the house, but then, we could do just about anything you want.”

“There was one place I wanted to go, but... it’s not exactly a fun activity,” Zoe admitted awkwardly.

On his part, Wade couldn’t think what she meant by that. Maybe it should’ve occurred to him, given the topic of conversation and all, but it was early in the morning yet, and Wade was willing to admit he wasn’t always the smartest cookie when it came to guessing what people were talking about. Still, he did know that whatever Zoe wanted to do or wherever she wanted to go, he would be just fine with it.

Of course, he hadn’t quite been expecting a trip to the cemetery, but it didn’t bother him any to go. It made total sense that Zoe would want to go visiting Harley’s grave at some point. After all, it was the closest she was going to get to meeting the guy, which was maybe one of the saddest things ever, but there was nothing at all Wade could do to fix that. He wished that he could make it easier for Zoe, which is exactly what he told her as they walked in through the gates of the graveyard and he led the way to Harley’s plot.

“Seems like the worst kinda timin’,” he said with a sigh. “I mean, any time from when you was a kid up to a couple of years back, you coulda come here and Harley woulda been just thrilled to meet you, I’ll bet.”

“I would’ve been thrilled to meet him too,” Zoe said, clearing her throat before she went on, “but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. It’s certainly not your fault,” she said pointedly.

Wade knew better than to continue down that road with her. Zoe was plenty mad at Candice for her part in all this, what with the lying and the secret-keeping and all. If not for that, Zoe would’ve known Harley and everything could’ve been so different. Still, they both knew there was no use wondering on what might’ve been. It was the here and now that mattered most.

“Well, here we are,” said Wade then, the hand that Zoe wasn’t holding onto rubbing the back of his neck as they reached the foot of Harley’s grave. “You, uh... you want me to...”

“Really don’t,” she told him, when he made some kind of ‘go away’ gesture. “I mean, unless you’re uncomfortable.”

“Any place with you, doc, ain’t anythin’ like uncomfortable for me,” he assured her, earning himself a smile. “You want me to stay, I’m here.”

“Thank you,” she told him, before looking back to the grave laid out before them.

The stone declared the final resting place of Harley Wilkes, 1942-2011. It was so strange to feel grief and loss for a person she had never once met before, and yet, Zoe couldn’t help it. She felt her eyes welling with tears and her throat growing thick with emotion as she stood by the grave, wondering why she ever wanted to go there in the first place. It wasn’t like meeting Harley and nothing ever would be. Still, the longer she was there, the more she found she had things she did need to say, and here was as good a place as any.

“I’m sorry that I never got to meet you, Harley. I guess if this had all happened sooner or if we had got to know each other like we should have, maybe I’d be calling you ‘Dad’ by now, but I don’t know. Um, I want you to know that I didn’t choose to stay away. I never even knew you existed until a couple of weeks ago when my mother got drunk and admitted everything. I can’t believe she lied to me all these years. She robbed us of so much.”

She had to stop then, so overcome with the emotion of it all that the words just wouldn’t come anymore. Zoe hadn’t realised quite how obviously she was sobbing, until Wade suddenly pulled her into his arms and held her tight as she let it all go.

It took a while before the last shuddering sob left her and the tears started to dry up. The whole time, Wade just stood there holding onto her, rubbing her back, letting her know it was all okay. With a loud sniffle, she turned from his embrace then and faced the grave again.

“So, I guess I want you to know that I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to know you, and that, well, I have this amazing boyfriend that I know you would love, because apparently you knew him long before I did,” she said, with a laugh that was as awkward as it was wet. “Kind of weird knowing my father knew my boyfriend first, but actually, I like it, because at least there’s someone that connects us. Someone other than my ridiculous mother.”

Wade pulled her into his side then and kissed the top of her head. “Anything you wanna know about ol’ Harley, Zoe, you know I’ll tell you, if I can.”

“I know,” she said, finding a smile, however brief as she glanced up at him, before returning her attention to Harley’s grave one more time. “I don’t know yet what I’m going to do about the whole you leaving me half a practice thing, but I want to thank you for that anyway. It was very generous and... well, thanks, I guess.”

With all of that said, Zoe didn’t know what else to do. She felt better for saying all that was on her mind regarding Harley and certainly this seemed like the right place for it. She was about to say they should go when a thought struck her.

“Wade, is your mom...?” she asked, not so sure how he was going to take her even posing the question, to be honest, but she just needed to somehow.

He nodded his head, gesturing a ways away with his free hand. “Right over there,” he told her. “You wanna...?”

“Yes, please.” Zoe nodded her agreement, keeping a tight hold on Wade’s hand as he led the way.

Jacqueline’s headstone was a much fancier affair than Harley’s own had been, with scrollwork and fancy lettering, and an angel in prayer perched on top. Etched words proclaimed she was a much beloved wife and mother, and was now at peace at last. Zoe knew she had suffered so much before her death, and that although she had found peace when she was gone, those left behind had continued on in pain for so long.

“Hey, Momma,” said Wade softly as he and Zoe stood at the foot of the grave. “This here is Zoe Hart. She’s, uh... well, I guess she’s that nice girl you always said I’d meet one day, and by some weird coincidence, she’s Dr Wilkes’ daughter too.”

Zoe wasn’t sure whether she was supposed to say ‘hi’ or just remain silent. After a few moments, she looked up at Wade and said the only think she could think of that made sense.

“You think she would’ve liked me?”

“No,” said Wade, smiling then as he looked at her. “I know she would’ve loved you,” he said definitely. “Hell, old Earl already thinks you’re the best person ever walked this earth, and there wasn’t much him and Momma didn’t agree on.”

The heat actually rose in Zoe’s cheeks at the sound of those words. Of course, she knew that Wade’s father liked her, since he made it plain, always calling her ‘pretty doctor’ and telling Wade right in front of her how damn lucky he was to have found her. Of course, he was one in a long line of people who didn’t know who she truly was yet and that didn’t sit at all right with Zoe.

“I have to tell them,” she said aloud, catching Wade’s attention all over again.

“Tell who what now?” he checked as they looked at each other.

“The town, everybody,” Zoe explained. “They should know who I really am and the other reason that I came here. I mean, I have to start with Dr Breeland, it’s only fair, in the circumstances, but then everybody else should know too. Otherwise, we’re lying to them, Wade, and I’m not okay with that anymore.”

He nodded that he understood, then sighed. “You wanna do this today?”

“We have to go back to New York in a couple of days,” said Zoe, shrugging her shoulders. “No time like the present.”

Wade had no way to argue with that. “Okay then. Guess we better go on over to Tucker’s office, get the paperwork for proof and all, then go track down Brick.”

“I guess we’d better,” Zoe agreed, sure in her decision, despite how nervous she felt, as they left the cemetery hand-in-hand and headed back into town.


	26. Chapter 26

“And you’re sure this is how you wanna do this?” George asked again.

Wade rolled his eyes. “C’mon, man, you heard her the first four times she said it,” he told his friend, tilting his head towards Zoe. “We gotta get this figured out with Brick, and tell everybody the truth, before we head back north.”

“It’s the right thing to do.” Zoe nodded definitely. “I don’t want any trouble, I’m not even blaming Dr Breeland for keeping things from me. After all, it really wasn’t his place to approach me. I just want it all straightened out now that we’re here and we know everything.”

George heaved a sigh, pulling together the pieces of paper he needed and pushing them into his briefcase.

“Okay then,” he said when he was ready. “I guess we’re going to the Breeland house.”

“He doesn’t seem happy,” said Zoe softly as she and Wade followed him out.

“Prob’ly ‘cause he’s not, doc,” he told her just as quiet, encouraging Zoe away down the sidewalk a ways now they were outside and had to wait for George to lock his office door. “Like I told you before, he was engaged to Lemon once. Brick was gonna be his father-in-law and besides, since old Harold ain’t exactly what you’d call the caring father type, Brick has all but been George’s daddy these last couple of decades.”

“Oh,” said Zoe, looking pained. “Awkward.”

“You’re not kiddin’,” Wade agreed, though they both managed to force smiles when they had to face George again.

It didn’t take long to get to the Breeland place and Wade smiled to himself as Zoe’s hand slipped into his own. He wouldn’t call her on being nervous or whatever. After all, it’d probably be a strange person that wasn’t feeling a might shaky in a situation such as this. Wasn’t every day you had to tell a man you just met a week ago that you’re the secret lovechild of his old business partner, he supposed.

“Well, what do we have here?” asked Brick with a smile as he opened up the door. “Nothing wrong I hope?” he checked then.

“No medical emergencies,” George assured him, “but we do have somethin’ kinda serious we need to talk to you about, Brick.”

His eyes went right to Zoe then and Wade couldn’t help but notice. Seemed to him he had to have figured out by now what was going on. Like Zoe said before, he ought to have recognised an important name like one he saw in Harley’s will not so long ago. If he did and he still hadn’t said anything, Wade thought that was pretty low for a guy he always thought was mostly a decent fella up to now.

“So,” said Brick, now that he was sat at the table with George, Wade, and Zoe all around. “Uh, can I get you all some tea or anything?”

“No, thank you.” Zoe shook her head. “We just... well, actually, _I_ need to tell you something. I think it should be me, right?” she said, glancing from George to Wade and back.

“Whatever works for you, doc,” her boyfriend advised easily.

“Sure,” George agreed, making a ‘go ahead’ gesture with one hand.

“Okay then,” Zoe began again, clearing her throat as she faced Brick head on. “Dr Breeland, I... well, I always believed that my father was Dr Ethan Hart.”

“A very fine surgeon, from what I hear.” Brick smiled widely.

“He is, yes, but apparently, not actually my father. I don’t know if you already know this, it seems like maybe you probably do, but my father, my _biological_ father,” she explained, “was Dr Harley Wilkes.”

A gasp caught everyone’s attention, though the sound hadn’t come from Brick or anyone else at the table. All eyes were at the door through which Lemon had just appeared, apparently shocked to her core on hearing what Zoe just said about her paternity.

“You... you’re Harley’s daughter?” she checked, moving closer. “But he never... Daddy, did you know about this?” she asked Brick with wide eyes.

Zoe shifted her gaze to Dr Breeland too, wondering what answer he would give. It seemed impossible that he didn’t know Harley had a daughter and that Zoe was she, but there was a slim chance that he was as in the dark as everybody else, at least until he confirmed one way or the other.

“Brick?” George prompted when an answer was not forthcoming.

“Yes,” he said eventually, heaving a sigh as one hand covered his eyes. “Yes, I knew Harley had a daughter. I knew your name and I... I knew you were supposed to inherit half the practice, which I’m guessing is why you’re here?” he said, looking at George then. “You checked the will?”

“I did,” George confirmed, nodding his head. “Why, Brick? Why would you keep a secret like that?”

“Because if he never looked for me, he didn’t have to share the practice,” said Zoe easily, smiling a little when she saw how surprised Brick was to be so easily read. “Come on, it’s not hard to figure out. You worked all your life in that place, right? You thought when Harley passed, it’d be all yours, then suddenly, you find out your partner had a daughter, some woman from a big city up north who you never met, who could come swooping in to take your precious practice out from under you. Am I right? I bet I’m right,” she said with a look.

“My daddy would not do such a thing,” said Lemon immediately.

Wade rolled his eyes. “Lemon, come on,” he said, sure that she knew as well as he did just exactly what her father was capable of.

The realisation of it made poor Lemon drop into a chair very quickly and very hard. She wasn’t coping well with all this news she was receiving, though Wade was happy to note that Zoe was doing a lot better in this crazy situation that she might’ve been.

“What is it you want me to say?” Brick asked her then. “I could deny it, you can’t prove I knew about this.”

“You’re right, I can’t.” Zoe shook her head. “I just want you to know that, if it is true, I don’t blame you,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “Honestly, if I were you, I probably would’ve done the same thing.”

The look on Brick’s face then was all kinds of comical and Wade had trouble not laughing at it. It was clear enough that Dr Breeland hadn’t expected to be called out on what he’d done, but more than that, he had not been ready for the person he almost succeeded in screwing over to be so damn understanding about it.

“So, you don’t want your half of the practice?” he asked carefully.

Zoe opened her mouth to answer that, only for George to cut in.

“I would advise against answering that question, even verbally, unless you’re real sure of your answer,” he said with a look.

“Okay,” Zoe said then, carefully considering her next words. “The truth is, I don’t know. I only found out about Harley three weeks ago, when my mother drunkenly confessed at a party. Then, pretty soon after that, I find out he’s already passed away, and then George checked the will and suddenly I’m a medical practice heiress!” she said, shaking her head. “On top of that, it turns out that, by some wacky coincidence, I have been dating a guy from the same town my natural father came from, and I’ve actually been working in a hospital in New York with your nephew! How frickin’ nuts is that!”

Lemon looked positively dizzy as she faced Zoe then. “You work with Jonah?”

“I did, for a while,” Zoe confirmed. “I’m pretty sure he’s headed back down this way soon.”

“To a job in Mobile,” Lemon agreed. “He called just a couple of days ago to let us know he’d be comin’ to visit but... well, he never said a thing about you, or any of this.”

“Man knows how to keep a secret that ain’t his to tell,” Wade told her definitely. “Course, it’s gettin’ to be less of a secret since we’re all here talkin’ about it now.”

“I don’t want any more secrets,” Zoe explained, looking around the table at all those assembled there. “There have been way too many already and I’m not adding to them anymore. I came to Bluebell as Wade’s girlfriend and that’s not a lie, we are together, and I could not be happier about that,” she said, glancing his way with a genuine smile on her lips. “But I’m also here because I am Harley Wilkes’ daughter. I want everybody to know that, but it was only fair I started with you, Dr Breeland.”

He nodded that he understood that and even went so far as to thank her for it then.

“I appreciate that, Zoe, and uh, well, you know, in light of all of this, I think we can probably drop the formalities. If there’s a possibility we’re going to be partners, and even if we’re not, well, I knew your father a lot of years. I think you should probably call me Brick.”

“Okay, Brick.” Zoe smiled. “Well, like I said, I have no idea what I’m going to do about the practice yet. Me and Wade, we have to get back to New York in a couple of days and I have a lot to process. In the meantime, I’m perfectly happy for you to keep doing whatever you’re doing doctor-wise.”

“I assume that’s alright with you, councillor?” Brick asked George with a smirk.

“Yes, sir,” he agreed, smiling back at him, clearly relieved that there had been no unpleasantness here.

It was a sentiment that Wade could get on board with. Last thing anybody around this table needed was a fight. There had been way too many tears and recriminations, all told. Besides, Harley wouldn’t want any of that kind of thing on his account, Wade was sure on that. The old man would only want everybody to get along and make the best of things. That was just the kind of decent guy he had always been. Given what her mother was like, Wade had to wonder how much of Zoe’s goodness and kindness came from Harley. He was inclined to think quite a bit.

“What?” Zoe asked when she caught him staring.

Brick had got up from the table to get himself a stiff drink and George had offered to help Lemon get some sweet tea, since she looked like the one who needed it most. That just left the two of them, which was mostly how Wade liked it when it came to him and Zoe anyhow.

“I was just thinkin’,” he told her, “how you’re a little like your daddy right now. You know, all decent and understandin’? That was Harley. Oh, hell, doc, I didn’t mean to do that,” he said right after, as the tears built up fast in her eyes.

“It’s fine,” she promised him, waving away his concern with one hand, even as she swiped under her eyes with the other. “It’s nice. I like the idea that there’s a part of him in me, you know, other than all that DNA and everything,” she said, laughing at herself in the very next moment. “I like that people who knew him might see something of him in me.”

“I reckon they will, Zoe.” Wade nodded, moving to pull her closed and planting a kiss on her head. “He woulda been so proud to know you, I’m sure on that.”

“I hope so.” Zoe sighed. “Well, I do feel better knowing this all going to be out in the open now, and it’s cool being here, seeing where you come from as well as where Harley was from, getting to know everybody,” she said happily. “Still, it won’t suck to get back to New York. Bluebell is great, but it’s not home.”

Wade meant to reply to that but never got the chance. Zoe said something about using the bathroom and wandered off, leaving him alone with his mouth opening and closing like a landed bass. He wasn’t exactly sure what he would’ve said even if Zoe gave him the opportunity to find the words.

Of course, Bluebell wasn’t her home, he knew that, so why it came as such a surprise to hear her say it, Wade wasn’t sure. This was his place in the world, the town he was born and raised in, and yes, Zoe had ties to it as well, even without him, but New York was where she belonged.

That could present a problem yet. Sure, Wade had to be in the city right now too, for his career and everything, but some day, he had a notion to come back to where he started. He had thought, especially given Harley and the practice and all, that he would be bringing Zoe with him. Now, he was less certain and that gave him a real uncomfortable feeling.

“You want some tea, Wade?” Lemon asked him as she and George returned and placed a tray down on the table, bearing a pitcher and glasses. “Of course, you can have something stronger if you want to. Looks like Daddy is indulgin’ so...”

“Uh, yeah,” said Wade, getting to his feet. “Think I will have somethin’ with a little more kick to it,” he said, heading towards the bar and asking Brick for a double.

“That’s not like you, Wade,” the doctor said, frowning some even as he poured him his drink.

“Yeah, well,” he said, taking a hold of the glass and swallowing down his whiskey in one painful gulp, “it’s been a hell of a day.”


	27. Chapter 27

Zoe didn’t think the town of Bluebell could welcome her and love her any more than they already had when they believed she was Wade’s girlfriend. Of course, that fact was still true and most were still amazed that any woman could possibly get Wade Kinsella to commit in any way at all, but when they found out she was Harley Wilkes daughter, Zoe really had not been ready for that particular outpouring of love.

“Oh, now I know why you look so familiar!” Shula Whittaker declared with a wide smile. “You got those same kind eyes.”

“Any child born of dear old Harley is more than welcome in our town,” Delma Warner insisted. “You ever need anythin’, honey, you just come to me, you hear?”

“Lord knows, Dr Wilkes took care of us all for years enough,” Wanda said happily. “I can hardly believe he went ahead and got himself a daughter and never said a word, but Zoe, you won’t find a person in this town that didn’t love your daddy.”

Everybody was kind, just every person that she came across. From Lemon Breeland and Annabeth Nass - who Wade assured her were two women he had been close to a while in nothing but a brother-sister type fashion - to Lavon Hayes, who Zoe was still bowled over by, something that amused the ex-NFL player to no end.

“Seriously, everybody in this town is making such a big deal out of me being a local doctor’s daughter, when they live in the same place as you, Lavon Hayes, the linebacker!” she told him across the breakfast table. “How are you not a bigger deal than me?”

Lavon chuckled into his orange juice. “I guess ‘cause I was born and raised around here. No matter what I went out and did for the Tide or in the NFL, I’m still just the kid they all saw raised up from a baby. Now, you, Miss Zoe Hart, you are somethin’ special ‘cause they never saw you comin’,” he insisted, as he got up to fetch more coffee and refilled the cups. “Not only are you a doctorin’ legacy from the great Harley Wilkes, who was a much-beloved citizen of Bluebell for all his years, but you are also the same miracle woman who tamed the wild ways of one Wade Kinsella.”

The way he said it more than the words themselves made Zoe laugh out loud. Though she was aware of Wade’s reputation before she came along, she really didn’t see what she had done as such an amazing feat.

All she did was fall for a guy who had apparently fallen for her too. That meant they were committed to each other, monogamous because they wanted to be. When love was involved, she couldn’t see how anyone could be anything else. Well, she could see how others could, because her mom was practically known for it, but Zoe herself could never be that way. Apparently, in the right relationship, Wade could be just as committed as she could, and that was a very good thing.

“What?” the man himself asked as he came through the door, clearly wondering why Zoe and Lavon were staring at him in such a way.

“We was just talking about you,” said Lavon with a grin. “All good, I swear.”

“Like there’s anythin’ bad to say.” Wade smirked right back at him. “You about ready to go, doc?” he asked Zoe then.

“Oh, yeah, I guess so,” she said, looking down at her plate and finding it empty.

Zoe took one more long drink from her coffee cup and then set it back on the table. That was it, her last Bluebell breakfast. Today, they flew back to New York to resume real life. Strange then that the more she thought about it, the less Zoe was convinced she was ready for reality and all it brought with it.

“Doc? Hey, Zoe?”

Only when Wade’s hand landed on her arm did she become completely aware that he was speaking to her again. Looking up at him with wide open eyes, she apologised for zoning out.

“Sorry, I don’t even know what’s the matter with me. Um, we’re going through town before the airport, right? I promised to say goodbye to Lemon and Brick, and Annabeth... and Tom and Wanda. Also, your dad.”

“Geez, we better leave right now or we’re never gonna get out of here.” Wade rolled his eyes, even as he wrapped his arm around Zoe’s back and kissed the top of her head. “You sure have made a lot of friends real fast, doc.”

“They’re nice people and they love me,” she told him, shrugging her shoulders.

“Yeah, well,” Wade considered as they headed for the door, “I speak from experience when I say that ain’t hard to do.”

Just as he had suggested, they set off immediately, with Lavon playing chauffeur, of course. They headed through town, like Wade promised, and just about everybody wanted a personal goodbye from both him and Zoe.

Brick made promises to take care of the practice in Zoe’s absence and she promised to let him know the minute she made any decisions about how to move forward with that situation. Lemon was looking for other vows to be made to her, wanting to be sure both Wade and Zoe would be back to visit again very soon.

AB cried as she hugged them both goodbye for now. Tom and Wanda did the same. George said he hoped to come visiting in New York with them soon and maybe he would even bring Tansy. Every person in town had something to say, love and best wishes to give, hugs they were determined to get.

It was really something to see as everyone poured all their usual goodness onto Zoe, acting as if she was as much part of Bluebell as Wade was himself. He didn’t mind it at all. In fact, he hoped she felt all that love and support and everything. Hoped she started to crave it just like he did when he was away too long. He wasn’t so sure it would happen, but man, did he ever hope.

Their last stop before heading out of town was at old Earl’s shack. Wade figured his dad deserved to be the one who got the final, most important farewell if anybody did. No sooner had Lavon pulled the car up outside the house than the old man was there on the porch, opening his arms to Zoe rather than his son and hugging her tight.

“You take good care of my boy now, you hear me, pretty doctor?” he said definitely. “I know he thinks he’s all smart and fanciful, livin’ in the big city, but believe me, he needs somebody to watch out for him sometimes.”

“I promise, I will keep my eye on him for you,” Zoe swore as they parted, her glancing at Wade and giggling some.

“You know, I used to think they called you Crazy Earl because o’ your drinkin’,” he told his father with a look. “Now, I ain’t so sure that’s all it was. Maybe you’re just crazy as all get out either way.”

Earl only laughed at what was clearly a good-natured remark, reaching to hug his son. Wade hugged him back without pause, patting him on the back and promising he would be back to visit again real soon.

“You take care of yourself now, you hear?”

“Hey, I managed the last time you went off to be all famous and important, I can do it again,” Earl insisted. “I will be fine,” he added more firmly when Wade was sure his own expression showed a hint of doubt.

It had been a while now since Earl got sober and stayed that way, but there was always that worry in the back of Wade’s mind. Falling off the wagon came all too easy to some, he really did not want to see his dad go down that road again.

“Wade?” Zoe prompted when he had clearly been stood staring too long. “The plane?” she reminded him as he glanced her way.

“Right, gotta catch that flight,” he agreed, saying one last goodbye to Earl before they got back in the car and headed for the airport.

Wade concentrated on the view flying by the window and where he was headed, trying not to give too much thought to what he was leaving behind. The first time he left Bluebell for New York, he had been with the band. They were all so damn excited about what happened next, about playing their music to big crowds of strangers, recording an album, getting rich and famous, Wade hadn’t given too much thought to the people, the familiarity, the whole life he was leaving behind. It was strange how it was hitting him harder this time, even though he still had Zoe, even though he knew this wasn’t forever.

Maybe that was the problem. Going back to New York after coming away from it, seeing everybody and everything he held dear, it felt like that much more of a wrench because he was actually calling the city home now. More importantly, Zoe was calling it home. She saw Bluebell as a vacation spot, somewhere to visit every now and then, but New York, that was where she belonged. Wade wasn’t so sure he would ever feel quite so at home there as she did, but what did that mean for the future?

“Wow, I did not expect this to happen,” Zoe said then, blowing her nose hard into a wad of tissue. “I mean, I want to go home. I really, really do,” she insisted, even as she cried. “It’s just... everybody in Bluebell is so nice. It’s such a beautiful place and... oh my God, what is the matter with me?” she asked, laughing as much as crying by then, clearly feeling pretty stupid about her unexpected crying jag.

“You been through a lot these past few weeks, doc,” Wade reminded her, reaching out to take a hold of her hand across the backseat. “Ain’t so weird that it’s catchin’ up to you now, I guess. ‘Sides, you ain’t wrong about Bluebell. Crazy as that place can get, you’re right, it’s full of pretty decent folks. People who wanna love and take care of just about everybody that comes their way.”

“I never really thought... I mean, you told me all those stories, and it’s not like I didn’t believe you,” Zoe insisted. “It’s just... I don’t know, I guess it’s hard to understand until you actually experience it. New York is all I’ve ever known. It’s not a community in the same way. You just don’t know your neighbours there. Now, I feel like... like I made a whole family in the space of a week, and I know that sounds so weird...”

“Not to me, Zoe.” Wade shook his head. “I mean, I can’t speak for other small towns, not down south or up north, but Bluebell is pretty special. You’re not wrong that it feels a lot like a family most of the time. After my momma passed on and Jesse left home and old Earl... well, you know. After all that happened, there was pretty much just me, some skinny kid with no place to turn for help, ‘cept that help came to me. Every person in that town stepped up and did their best by me, no questions asked. They raised me, I guess, every single one of ‘em.”

“Including Harley Wilkes?” Zoe asked curiously.

Wade smiled as he spared her a glance. “He did his part,” he assured her. “You had yourself a real good daddy, Zoe Hart. I’m just sorry you never got the chance to meet him in person.”

“Me too,” she said, sniffling some yet, “but at least I got to meet everybody else. All those people who knew him and loved him. They love you too, you know? You are seriously beloved.”

“Like you’re not.” Wade rolled his eyes. “Between you bein’ Harley’s daughter and comin’ along to town on my arm, you’re prob’ly the most popular woman ever to walk the streets o’ Bluebell, doc. Hell, next time we go back, they’ll probably have erected a state to you in town square!”

Zoe laughed at that, which she was supposed to, quite honestly. Not that it would exactly shock Wade if that was exactly what happened. Bluebell was nutty enough sometimes, they might just put a life-size marble version of Zoe right up there by the gazebo. Probably not though.

“I hope we can go back again soon,” said Zoe then, sighing as she took her turn at looking out of the window at the view flying by.

“Sure thing, doc,” Wade agreed easily, smiling maybe a little too much.

Was this the same woman who, just two days ago, was telling him she couldn’t wait to get home? Now she seemed all kinds of sorry to leave, but Wade had to wonder how long that could really last. When they got back up north, Zoe would probably get comfortable again, maybe even forget all about her wish to head back down Bluebell way.

Wade shook his head and concentrated on whatever Lavon was calling back to him now, having missed the first part already. No use worrying about things until they actually happened, he supposed. They were headed to New York for now. Zoe had her doctoring to get back to and Wade was aware he had an album to promote and gigs to play - Brad had pretty much been blowing up his phone for a couple of days straight with all that information.

Home would have to wait and future plans must be put on hold. New York and work was what mattered right now, but as the radio began playing another country favourite, Wade couldn’t help but wonder if he wasn’t headed in completely the wrong direction, both literally and in his life in general.


	28. Chapter 28

“You sure you can manage all o’ this by yourself?” Wade asked Zoe as he helped her out of the cab with her luggage.

“I just have to get as far as the elevator,” she reminded him, hefting a bag onto her shoulder and grabbing the wheeled suitcase handle in her other hand. “I’m fine,” she promised. “Besides, you need to get home too, and preferably get some sleep before your meeting in... six hours,” she reminded him, checking the time on the watch at his wrist.

“Always lookin’ out for me, doc,” said Wade, leaning down to kiss her briefly on the lips. “You get some sleep yourself, okay?”

“I will,” she promised, kissing him back a moment before they finally parted ways.

Zoe turned back at the door to the building, waving to Wade as the cab drove on to take him home. She did struggle just a little in getting all of her bags and case inside, but as she said, once she got into the elevator, the worst was over, or so Zoe thought.

Heaving a sigh, she sat down on her own case as she flew up to the fourth floor. Between all the emotions of the past few days, as well as the travelling, she was genuinely exhausted. While Wade would have to limit his sleep to just a few short hours so he could get to his meeting this afternoon, Zoe was happy to note she could sleep all day and into the night if she wanted to, since work were not expecting her for a good forty-eight hours.

“And I need the sleep,” she muttered to herself, getting up just as the elevator doors opened and fighting to drag her luggage out into the hallway.

Turning towards her door, she jumped about a mile in the air when she realised there was someone waiting for her. The fact they were not standing at her door, but sitting leaning back against it was strange to say the least, and when she saw who the man behind the medical journal was, she could not have been more shocked.

“Dad?”

Immediately Ethan Hart was on his feet, opening his arms to Zoe and hugging her tight the moment she allowed him the chance.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as they pulled apart. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I wasn’t expecting to be here myself,” he admitted. “But your mother called and... well, I had to come,” he said with a look that Zoe couldn’t mistake.

He knew. Well, she supposed when it came to her paternity, Ethan Hart had known the truth for quite some time, most likely around the time of her parents’ divorce or similar. Now, she supposed he also knew that she had been told the truth herself, else why suddenly show up after so long?

“Um, we should get inside,” she said, shaking herself out of a daze. “I’m sorry, I’m kind of tired. Would you believe I just got back from Alabama?” she said as she moved to gather her bags.

“I would,” said Ethan, reaching to help her.

“Oh, yeah, of course.”

Zoe was pretty sure she had never felt so awkward in all her days as she led the way into her apartment and the man she always thought had been her father followed behind. After all this time, always feeling wretched that her dad had seemingly abandoned her. Now at least she knew why, but as Zoe thought about it a little more, she realised she was as angry as she was sad about all this. She was hardly aware of the growl rising in her throat until it escaped and she slammed the apartment door behind them.

“Zoe?”

“You know, I’m not even sure how to respond to that,” she said as she faced him, hands on her hips. “I mean, what do I call you these days? Dad doesn’t exactly seem right. Would you prefer Ethan? Maybe Dr Hart, keep it professional.”

“Zoe, come on...” he said, shaking his head.

Honestly, as sad as he looked, Zoe couldn’t care, not right now.

“See, the problem is, I get that you suffered too. Mom lied to you, for years, apparently. She told you that you were my father and that wasn’t true. That was wrong and absolutely not your fault, but do you know what I can blame you for, _Dad_?” she said with a deliberate edge to her tone. “After you found out the truth, you never told me, but you did take it all out on me. Do you have any idea what it did to me to be abandoned by the man I looked up to, not just as my idol and the surgeon I aspired to be one day, but the person I had called Daddy my whole life?”

Zoe heard her own voice cracking and hated herself for being weak. She should be strong, angry, defiant in the face of all this, but she couldn’t. In the end, she was still that same little girl inside, the one who only wanted her father’s approval and affection.

It didn’t matter that Ethan Hart wasn’t biologically related to her. He had been her dad too long for her to pretend he suddenly didn’t exist, even if that was seemingly what he had done with her after he learned the truth of her paternity.

“I really don’t know where to begin,” he told her, looking as old and tired as she had ever seen him.

Ethan sank down to sit on the couch, his face in his hands for a few moments. After seemingly pulling his thoughts into some kind of order, he looked up at her and sighed.

“I’m so sorry, Zoe,” he told her, shaking his head. “I can’t begin to imagine how you feel right now, how much you’ve gone through in the past few weeks.”

“Try the past few _years_!” she yelled back at him. “My mom’s lies only came out in the last few weeks, but you... you just abandoned me, Dad.”

She didn’t want to cry about it, not in front of him. He didn’t deserve to see her crumble. At the same time, she did want him to see her tears, to know how very much he had hurt her with what he had done, or rather what he had not done. He hadn’t bothered to stay in touch. Not so long ago, he had even been in New York and quite deliberately avoided her. That hurt so much. She didn’t want it to, but it did.

“Zoe, if I could take it back,” he said then. “If I could go back and change it, you know I would.”

“Do I?” she asked, shaking her head. “I don’t know what I believe anymore. I mean, my mother lied to me my whole life, and about something as important as who my real father was. That makes me wonder what else she lied about. Then there’s you. You’ve been keeping things from me for a pretty long time too, avoiding me even when we’re in the same city. At this point, I have more trust in my boyfriend and the people from his home town than I do my own family. How bad is that?”

She wasn’t really expecting Ethan to answer that question but he looked like he might want to give it a try. Zoe didn’t doubt he was sorry, but frankly, she was too tired and emotional to get into this anymore today.

“You know, what? I think you should leave,” she told him, folding her arms across her chest defiantly.

“Zoe, I can’t just-”

“Yes, you can,” she snapped, holding firm. “I heard your apology and I’ve said everything I needed to say for now. I am beyond tired, so I need you to go. If you care about me at all, you’ll just go away, please.”

Though she knew she was fast turning from firm to desperate, Zoe couldn’t care. It did the trick, got Ethan to his feet and over to the door. The weirdest part was that, as he reached to open it and let himself out, Zoe almost wanted to tell him she changed her mind. There was a part of her that still wanted her daddy, to have him give her a hug and talk to her about cardio-thoracics and be proud of all she had achieved so far. That part wasn’t going to win out today, she was determined on that.

“Maybe I could call back tomorrow?” asked Ethan as he opened the door to go.

“Sure.” Zoe nodded. “I’ll see you soon.”

He gave her a half-smile, clearly pleased that she was open to further talks, even if it wasn’t right now, and then he was gone. The tears came full-force then and Zoe sunk down onto the couch, sobbing into her hands. The last thing she needed was to have to deal with Ethan on top of everything else, but in the long-run, she was sure it would be for the best to get things figured out sooner rather than later.

Before he started calling again tomorrow, Zoe knew her first priority was to get some sleep. Even with her head as busy as it was, she was pretty sure she would be asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, she was just that tired form the travelling and all the emotions piled on top. At some point, she knew she also had to deal with her mother, since things were all very vague and uncertain there too.

“Too much,” she decided as she got up from the couch, her tears finally over, and dragged herself off to her bedroom, muttering all the way. “Should’ve stayed in Bluebell.”

* * *

“It was no bad thing bein’ back home, boys, that much I can tell you,” said Wade, shaking his head. “Almost decided to retire from this rock ‘n’ roll life entirely and just stay there, leave you guys to fend for yourselves.”

“Hey, don’t even joke about it, man,” Clayne told him with a look. “You got no idea how much I coulda used a trip back to Bluebell. New York is all well and good, but it ain’t home.”

“You got that right.” Jordan sighed. “We all shoulda taken that trip together.”

“Not me,” said Mark from further across the room. “You’re such a bunch of momma’s boys, wantin’ to run on home all the time,” he told them, rolling his eyes. “What happened to our plans to be rich and famous, huh? You forget all about that? ‘Cause that kinda thing don’t happen in no backwater place like Bluebell.”

“Hey, have some respect, man!” Wade told him crossly. “Maybe we couldn’t be so famous or have a music career like we got here, but Bluebell is a damn decent place. You sure as hell wouldn’t be here without it.”

“He wouldn’t be here without us either, despite what he thinks,” said Jordan with a sneer. “I wasn’t gonna tell Wade what you said about him while he was gone, but maybe I will now,” he told Mark with a look.

“Hell, I couldn’t care less if you did tell him,” his supposed friend countered.

Wade looked between the two and then finally at Clayne, hoping somebody was about to tell him what in the heck was going on, because he was not following at all. Clearly something had been said in his absence, and if it had anything to do with kicking him out of Sippin’ Whiskey, he would be pissed.

At the same time, a strange feeling came over Wade as he really considered that scenario. If he got kicked out the band, he wouldn’t have to be in New York anymore, which would mean he could head on back to the place he most wanted to be, namely Bluebell, his home. With Zoe seemingly coming around to the idea of liking the place too, the possibility could have its upsides yet.

“You shoulda heard this guy when you were gone,” Jordan told Wade then, gesturing over at Mark who continued to noodle around on his guitar, pretending he didn’t hear or whatever. “Tryin’ to tell us all there was nothin’ you could do on a guitar that he couldn’t, sayin’ all the weak songs in our set were the ones you wrote. I swear, I wasn’t gonna say any o’ this to your face, not least ‘cause he was three sheets to the wind when he said it and all, but you got a right to know, Wade. He’d see you thrown outta this band if he could.”

“Is that so?” asked Wade, mad as hell that he had come so close to being double-crossed that way, and yet hardly able to keep from smiling at the thought of breaking free of the band without actually bothering anybody else much. “Funny you never said any of this stuff when I was actually here, Mark!” he called across to him.

“You think I wouldn’t dare?” the lead singer asked, getting to his feet and setting the guitar aside. “C’mon, now, Kinsella, if you wanna make somethin’ of it. Seems to me you ain’t got the stomach for a real fight no more, not since that pretty little doctor got a hold o’ you.”

“Oh, so, that’s what this is?” said Wade, getting to his feet and squaring up against the other guy, making the most of the extra couple of inches in height he had over Mark. “Just ‘cause I ain’t some skirt-chasin’ hound dog anymore, that means I gotta get outta the band, huh?”

“Well, can’t say that I’d miss you much,” Mark told him with an unfriendly smile.

Just when it seemed like somebody was going to have to take a swing to end this thing, Bradley came in from the next room, half-distracted by his cell phone until he suddenly looked up and realised what was happening.

“Hey, what the hell, guys?” he asked, quickly getting in between Wade and Mark, holding a hand up to each of them so they would stay back. “Come on, tell me, what is going on?”

“Nothin’ much,” Wade explained. “Just this guy decided to start throwing his weight around. Apparently, you don’t need me in this band any more?” he said, shifting his gaze from his band-mate to the manager.

Bradley looked amazed at the very idea and then turned slowly to stare at Mark.

“Seems odd to me that you’re making changes to the line up without even talking to me about it,” he said crossly. “I mean, here I am trying to make you guys stars, setting up all this promo for the album, and while my back is turned for two seconds, you’re kicking out the lead guitarist and co-writer on at least half the band’s songs?”

Mark looked ready for a fight still, before clearly realising it was getting him nowhere fast. If Wade wasn’t going to go quietly and the others were going to back him, Mark didn’t have any place to go but down. Bradley sure seemed like he was taking no prisoners either. Even all dressed up in a suit and tie, Wade had a notion their manager could hold his own if the fists started flying. After all, he came from their neck of the woods in the first place too.

“Weren’t serious,” Mark muttered then, going back to his seat and picking up his guitar again, like nothing hardly happened at all. “Just a joke, that’s all.”

“Well, ha ha,” Bradley deadpanned, looking back to Wade then. “Are you cool, man?”

“Sure,” he said, shrugging easily. “I mean, if everybody else did want me to go...?”

“Hell, no, Wade!” said Clayne fast.

“Not a chance,” Jordan agreed quickly.

“And I don’t want anything to happen here that screws up all these plans I have for the next couple of months,” said Bradley, reaching into his jacket for a piece of paper he was soon presenting to the others. “You guys have got gigs, radio appearances, interviews, the works. We do not have time for petty arguments and bad jokes, understood?”

Wade looked at Mark, who didn’t react, then at his other band-mates who seemed nervous yet. It was tempting just to walk, to say he had decided that maybe Mark was right and he should leave Sippin’ Whiskey altogether, but of course, he couldn’t do it. Not to Clayne and Jordan, not to Bradley. More than that, he couldn’t do it to Zoe.

For now, at least, she was set to be in New York a while, and she was going through a hell of a time with her folks and all the big decisions she had to make with everything.

The last thing Zoe needed was anybody else rocking the boat. Better for Wade to stay as he was, go to all these events and such that Bradley and the band needed him for, see where it all led.

At the same time, Wade was bound and determined he was going to find time to be there for Zoe just as much as she needed. Mark had given him the perfect excuse to be at least a little flaky where the band was concerned and he might just use that reasoning if he needed it later.

“Wade?” Bradley prompted him for some kind of answer and he turned his head to look at him.

“We’re all good here, Brad,” he promised, clapping him on the shoulder. “Don’t look so worried. I’m not.”


	29. Chapter 29

“Hey, stranger.” Zoe smiled as she took his phone call. “I was beginning to think your cell phone stopped working the moment you hit Alabama.”

Jonah’s laughter echoed in her ear. “You’ve been down here yourself now, Dr Hart, you know the south isn’t quite so backwards in comin’ forwards as you might’ve thought before.”

“That is true,” she admitted, sitting herself down comfortably while they chatted. “I have to admit, I’ve been back in New York for a month, and I still keep dreaming about Bluebell. That is one special place you’re from, Dr Breeland.”

“I can’t deny that’s true,” Jonah agreed, “but there’s a lot to be said for the big city too. I had some pretty good times in New York, let me tell you.”

“If this is the part where you ask me if Gigi is missing you...”

“Not at all. I’m sure she is doing just fine without me hanging around. I was under no illusions about my relationship with Ms Godfrey, and I don’t believe she was either.”

Zoe could happily confirm that was true. As much fun as Gigi and Jonah had together, it was plain enough when he was gone that her friend was not going to sit and cry over his loss. A week later, she had her eye on somebody else and Zoe was not at all surprised. Some people just liked the whole casual thing. Wade was that way once, by his own admission, but Zoe never was, she couldn’t imagine wanting to be. Of course, it took all kinds of kinds to make a world.

“So, a whole month since you were down this way,” said Jonah then. “Things any more settled with you and your folks?”

“Yes and no.” Zoe sighed. “Well, mostly yes. My dad... Ethan, he showed up on my doorstep the day I got back from Bluebell.”

“How’d that go?”

“He apologised for his part in the lying and for causing almost all of my abandonment issues. I yelled a lot about a whole bunch of stuff, but then, the next day we talked some more, civilly and like adults. I can’t see that we’re ever going to have the father-daughter relationship that we did before, but... it’s better.”

“I am glad to hear that, Zoe,” Jonah told her with a smile she could just about hear. “Should I even ask what happened with your mom?”

“Oh, you mean Public Enemy Number One?” Zoe joked, laughing in the very next moment to prove she was kidding. “No, it’s okay. That’s better too. Since you only get one mom, I knew I couldn’t be mad at her forever. I can’t completely forgive her, but... well, it’s not so bad. I honestly haven’t seen her much in the last few weeks.”

“Because you’ve been spending all your time between work and Wade Kinsella?” her friend guessed.

“Actually, yes to the work, no to Wade,” said Zoe with a sigh. “Trust me, I would love to have been spending plenty of time with him, but he’s been super-busy with all this album promotion stuff, I’ve hardly seen him at all. However, we both have a couple of days off starting tomorrow and he’s taking me... somewhere. Some amazing surprise trip apparently, I don’t even know the details yet.”

“Sounds... interesting,” Jonah said carefully. “Well, on the work front, I’ve been pretty busy myself. In fact, a couple of days ago, I had this patient...”

As he got deep into symptoms, diagnoses, and the such like, Zoe was riveted. They must have been talking a good twenty minutes before she noted the time and had to interrupt Jonah, apologising but saying she really did have to go.

“I’m supposed to be at the hospital in an hour and I’m not even dressed yet.”

“Well, Dr Hart, I had no idea you were conducting our friendly conversation in the nude,” he teased her.

“Oh, grow up!” Zoe snapped, though she was laughing at the same time - after all, they had established long ago that they were colleagues and even friends, but absolutely nothing more. “I’m wearing sweats, I just meant I’m not dressed for work, doofus.”

Jonah laughed at her choice of insult if nothing else. “You got surgery today?”

“Nope, not today, just routine patient stuff,” she explained. “Although weirdly, I’ve really been enjoying that lately. I blame Bluebell for turning me in to such an active gossip. All those people just want to know everything, but also, they want to tell you everything. I had some of the longest conversations of my life in the town square and the Rammer Jammer. They’ve broken me. I actually like people now, I want to get to know them. I just don’t seem to be happy until I get a patient’s life story these days, how weird is that?”

That got a burst of further laughter out of Jonah. “You know, it’s not a bad thing to take an interest in your patients, Dr Hart,” he told her easily. “I don’t think Bluebell broke you. If anything - and don’t take this the wrong way because I thought you were pretty amazing just as you were - but I think maybe it improved you, as a doctor, at the very least.”

“Maybe,” Zoe considered. “I don’t know. It would be nice to head back down there sometime. I know Wade wants to. In the few short periods of time we’ve managed to spend together lately, he seems awfully homesick.”

“Well, I know there’s one or two folks around here that’d be more than happy to hear from the two of you. Especially you.”

“Ah, so, that’s why you called,” said Zoe knowingly, even as she walked through to her bedroom and started flipping through her clothes, mindful of the time slipping away from her. “Your Uncle Brick wants to know what I’m going to do with the practice, right?”

Jonah sighed. “Well, I can’t deny that he has asked me, on more than one occasion, if I’ve heard from you and if I know what your plans are,” he admitted, “but I swear, Zoe, I called to say hi, to catch up and maybe talk patients for a while, that is all. I’m not Uncle Brick’s spy or anything.”

“I believe you,” she said with a sigh. “Honestly, I do, and I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to accuse you.”

“No problem, Zoe. We’re all good,” Jonah promised. “So, no decision on the practice yet?” he checked anyway.

Zoe smiled as she answered. “Nope, no definite decision yet. Although, I will admit, when the ER has been crazy and I’m beyond tired from working a double-shift, sometimes I still can’t sleep for all the city noise and I think... well, like I said, I dream about Bluebell sometimes. About Wade’s little house by the lake, all the peace and quiet, all the crazy, wonderful people.”

“Gets under your skin real fast, doesn’t it?” Jonah said knowingly.

“Oh yeah.” Zoe sighed. “It really does.”

* * *

Though he didn’t object to the way Zoe dived into his arms and planted a big kiss right on his lips the moment they saw each other, Wade was a little surprised.

“Well now, that’s what I call a welcome,” he said as they parted.

“I missed you,” she told him, even as she wiped a smudge of her lipstick from his face. “Is that a crime?”

“No, ma’am,” he assured her with a grin. “Let me tell you ‘bout how much I’ve been missin’ you too,” he offered then, returning the favour with a searing kiss of his own.

It would’ve been so easy to just let passion overtake them and spend the whole of the two days they had together rolling around in bed or whatever. Wade might have been the first to suggest such a thing once upon a time, but where Zoe was concerned, he just wanted to put in a little more effort than that. Hence the reason why he convinced her not to drag him into the bedroom, but instead to move her behind into the cab he had waiting, because there would be plenty of time for all of that other stuff later.

“I still can’t believe you planned this whole surprise trip and that you wouldn’t even tell me what to pack!” Zoe complained, even as she grinned at him across the backseat of the cab.

“Did I complain about how much luggage you brought for a one-night trip? No, I did not,” he reminded her with a smile of his own. “Anyway, I thought women liked romantic surprises and all.”

“They do. I mean, _I_ do. Usually, I’m not great with surprises at all, understandably,” she told him with a look, “but I guess I just trust you.”

“Well, that is good to know, Zoe Hart,” said Wade, leaning across to kiss her lips. “I’m pretty sure this is gonna be the good kind of surprise.”

There was a little apprehension in Wade, given the circumstances. He never really did this kind of thing before, never cared about a woman enough to go to so much effort, but Zoe was more than worth it. He figured she ought to realise how truly in love with her he really was when she saw just exactly where the cab was headed. Their first stop came into view and Wade swallowed hard, wondering if he would ever get used to this.

“We’re going on a plane?” Zoe checked as the cab driver pulled the car into a parking spot near the entrance to the airport. “Wade, you hate to fly. Also, we have to be back by tomorrow night, both of us.”

“Okay, first off, yes, I hate to fly,” he agreed even as they both got out of the car, “but I would also hate to waste four or five hours of our time together driving you some place, and the same amount of time driving back again.”

“Four or five hours?” Zoe frowned. “Where are we going? Canada?”

Wade rolled his eyes. “Just stop askin’ so many questions, doc, and remember what you said about trustin’ me, okay?”

She did stop asking after that. Of course, she could plainly see the destination of the plane before they ever got on it and Wade half-expected her to know then what the point of the trip was, but she didn’t seem to be getting it. That was okay, because if he got to do a real impressive reveal when they got to the other end, he figured that might be cool actually.

To her credit, Zoe didn’t even seem to be trying to work out what was going on when they were on the plane, spending most of her time talking to Wade about the band and such. He knew what she was doing, trying to distract him from the fact they were airborne. It worked, for the most part. When he was caught up in telling her what a two-faced ass Mark was proving to be and how sick of promotional stuff Wade himself was becoming, the hours kind of flew by actually.

“So, Syracuse,” said Zoe as they left the plane and headed through the airport, Wade’s arm around her shoulders. “You’re taking me to the university for some reason?”

“Nope,” Wade told her. “Why would I even do that, doc?”

“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “I just don’t know what else to guess.”

“Then stop guessin’ and just relax, enjoy the ride,” he urged her, kissing her cheek.

Luggage duly retrieved, they were met by another pre-arranged cab that took them down unknown streets towards their destination.

“We gotta make two stops around here,” Wade told Zoe as they went along in the car. “I’m pretty sure you’ll approve of both of ‘em, least I hope so.”

Zoe didn’t say much, but she looked as happy as she did confused, which was something. Wade couldn’t deny it did give him a little bit of a thrill to get one over on her, what with her being so smart and all, and him not traditionally known for his brains. It didn’t hurt to get to be the smart one sometimes.

“Oh my God!” Zoe gasped when the cab finally stopped outside a real quaint little bed and breakfast. “Wade, it’s beautiful. It even kind of looks like...”

“The Whippoorwill back in Bluebell?” he suggested. “Yeah, I noticed that too. I mean, you mentioned a few times how it was almost a shame we didn’t need to stay in old Dash’s place back home, so I thought...”

It was as far as he got with that sentence before Zoe was suddenly all over him, kissing him like it was going out of style. Of course, when the cab driver noisily cleared his throat, she stopped and dropped back into her own seat, looking a little red-faced. Wade just laughed as they got out of the car to go check-in to the bed and breakfast, letting the driver know they’d just be a few minutes.

“We’re not staying?” asked Zoe, shaking her head. “There’s more?”

“Told you we had two stops to make, didn’t I?” he reminded her, hauling all their bags up to the reception desk. “Trust me, doc, the next one might make you even happier.”

She looked like she almost didn’t believe that, which was nice, in a way. It meant the bed and breakfast idea had been a solid one, and Wade was pretty damn sure his other idea was even better, at least in Zoe’s eyes.

Less than a half hour later, they were back in the cab, headed to that other place. A few miles down the road and the signposts gave away where they were going, making Zoe gasp.

“No way! You really listen to me, don’t you?” she asked Wade, wide-eyed.

“It’s real flattering to know you think that I don’t,” he told her, smiling in spite of himself, because he already knew she didn’t mean anything by it.

“Wade, come on, when I get deep into medical stuff, I know for a fact that you’re bored.”

“Maybe sometimes,” he admitted, “just like I know you breeze out when I talk about stuff I like sometimes, but you just wouldn’t shut up about the great Dr. Walker and some statue they put up to her. I figured I oughta take a hint.”

When they finally got out of the cab at Oswego Town Hall, facing the statue of Dr Mary Edwards Walker, which Wade was positive Zoe really wanted to see in person, he was not disappointed by her reaction. There was not much impressed a woman like Dr Zoe Hart, but this did. Wade would like to think he did too, in some small way, because the thought had occurred to him to bring her here like this.

“You know, she was only the second female graduate of an American medical school, and in 1863, she became the first female surgeon in the US Army, after several years of practice as a nurse,” said Zoe with wonder in her eyes. “She paved the way for women like me, Wade. She’s an inspiration!”

“Pretty sure I heard all that somewhere before,” he said with a look as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed the top of her head. “She ain’t the only one who’s inspirin’ sometimes.”

Zoe laughed, sounding almost giddy as she finally turned away from the statue and looked up at Wade, her arms around his neck.

“Thank you for this,” she told him seriously. “It was an amazing surprise.”

“Anythin’ to make you happy, doc.”

He meant what he said. Wade really did just want her to be happy, because he was pretty sure he had never been happier than he was since he met her and they got together and all.

Later, when they had some lunch and got back to the bed and breakfast, Wade showed Zoe just exactly how much she meant to him. She was no less willing to show him the same.

They spent a perfectly comfortable, lazy afternoon and evening in their rented room together. It was wonderful to just enjoy each other’s company, make love, and revel in the fact that neither one had to go running off to some work-related thing any time soon.

“It’s so peaceful here,” said Zoe with a contended sigh, lying in bed in the circle of Wade’s arms. “It reminds me a lot of Bluebell, actually, but then I guess that was half the point.”

“Maybe,” Wade agreed, kissing her hair. “I gotta admit, I miss the old place more than I don’t.”

“Yeah, me too,” Zoe admitted, “and that is so weird, because I was only there for a week, and I am so absolutely New York City born and raised, but there was something just... nice about Alabama,” she said thoughtfully. “Still, as nice as daydreams are, I guess we should be realistic,” she said then, looking up to meet Wade’s eyes. “Our lives are in New York. Our apartments, our careers, my mom, your band. It’s just... Well, it wouldn’t really make any sense for us to just go to Bluebell and stay there, would it?”

Wade wanted to tell her she was wrong. After all, going back home, taking Zoe with him and staying there for good, it appealed more than a little. It was a place they both should belong, him being as born and raised in Bluebell as she had been in the city, and her being at least a half-blood Southerner too.

Trouble was, Wade knew Zoe had a point about everything else being in the city. He couldn’t have his music career back home and despite Mark’s attitude he wouldn’t abandon the band. Zoe couldn’t be a supersonic space surgeon or whatever the right words were in Bluebell either.

“Yeah, like I said, it’s a nice dream, but it’s not practical.” Zoe sighed one more time, clearly sensing that Wade was struggling to answer her question. “I should call Brick Breeland, let him know he can have the practice to himself. I mean, I’m never going to be a GP, it’s just not me, and small-town living, it seems like fun, but I don’t know if I could really do it long-term, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Wade muttered, holding her tight when she seemed to want to cuddle up closer anyway.

It was killing him to agree with her, but unfortunately, he knew she was right. Maybe Zoe couldn’t ever get used to Bluebell as a permanent place to be, and her happiness mattered so damn much to him. Of course, that meant he was probably going to have to get used to New York City as a long-term residence. Lord help him, as much as he loved Zoe, he was not so sure if he could do that.


	30. Chapter 30

“Okay, thank you so much, gentlemen,” said the entertainment reporter, shaking hands with each member of Sippin’ Whiskey before she left.

Wade noticed she didn’t seem all that eager to let go of Clayne’s hand. If he wasn’t mistaken, those two were going to be having some kind of follow-up meeting after this interview. Something that was entirely off-the-record, as far as he could tell. The time was when Wade would probably have been the one taking the pretty girl out tonight and buying her breakfast the next morning. Now, the thought didn’t even occur to him to flirt that much, because he had Zoe, and she just mattered more than anyone or anything else.

“Hey, Wade?” said Clayne, clapping him on the shoulder. “You okay, man?”

“Yeah, sure, I’m fine,” his friend told him, waving away his concern. “Just thinkin’ that’s all. No problem.”

“Well, we’re all done here,” he reminded him, gesturing to the empty seat opposite them where no new journalist type had come to ask more questions. “You got plans or...?”

“Uh, yeah. I got somewhere to be,” Wade told him, though in truth he had no idea where exactly he was going, he just knew he wasn’t really in the mood for company. “I’ll see you tomorrow, I guess.”

Clayne and Jordan left together, both of them raising a hand to wave goodbye. Seemed that Mark was already gone and Wade hadn’t even seen the going of him. It was like that a lot these days, him skipping out, doing his own thing more and more. Wade should care about that, he knew he should, but honestly, it was the last thing on his mind.

It wasn’t as if he was failing to be dedicated to the band as such. Wade still kind of liked the idea of a music career, truth be told, but those dreams had started to fade a little since reality got that much better for him. Now he had Zoe, now he remembered all the best parts of home, and as time went on, Wade got real bored of appointments and promotions and even screaming fans.

Heaving a sigh, he picked up his jacket and pulled it on, just in time to realise his cell was vibrating in the pocket. Reaching for the phone, he saw who was calling and immediately picked up.

“Tucker. What’s goin’ on?”

“Hey, Wade. Uh, not much really. You know Bluebell. Most exciting thing that happened this week was a run on some fancy peppermint foot cream at The Dixie Stop.”

“Sounds okay to me, man.” Wade sighed, sitting back down on his abandoned stool in the empty room.

“You okay, Wade?” his friend asked him, concern evident in his voice. “You don’t sound so good.”

“I don’t know, Tucker. I’m just tired, I guess. Maybe a little, uh, what’s that fancy word for finding out stuff isn’t as impressive or important as you thought?”

“Disillusionment?” George tried.

“Yeah. Guess I’m feelin’ a little of o’ that right now.”

There was silence for a few moments, before finally George spoke again.

“You’re not... I mean, things are okay with you and Zoe, right?”

Wade was a little surprised by that question. “Things are fine with us, ‘cept for the fact I haven’t gotten a chance to see her much the past couple of days. You know somethin’ I don’t, Tucker?” he checked then, unsure why his buddy should, but needing to ask anyway, somehow.

“No, I don’t know anything,” George assured him. “Well, except... now, I don’t wanna tell tales outta school or whatever, but I did sent Zoe the papers about the practice a few days back and I haven’t heard a word since. Not even confirmation she got them or anything. Seemed a little strange when she was so determined to get things movin’, that’s all.”

Wade found himself frowning as he thought that one over for a minute. Zoe had pretty much made up her mind about giving up the Bluebell practice when they was away in Oswego last weekend. He knew she had talked to George about the paperwork and everything, but he sure didn’t know she had the papers yet. Seemed she hadn’t been too quick to deal with them if Tucker had heard nothing since, but what did that mean?

It had been a couple of days since they saw each other because they were so busy, her with the hospital, him with band stuff. Work always ended up getting in the way, but Wade wondered at anything stopping Zoe from figuring things out about the practice. He thought it was weird that she hadn’t even mentioned to him that she had the papers in her hand. After all, if nothing else, they had been texting plenty. She could’ve mentioned it, but she hadn’t.

“Wade?”

“Still here, Tucker,” he confirmed, suddenly realising how long he must have been thoughtful and silent. “Like I said, I ain’t seen Zoe in a couple of days, so I don’t know what’s goin’ on, but when I find out, you’ll be the first to know, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Wade, but you know, there’s no pressure. Last thing I want is for Zoe to make a choice she ends up regretting.”

“Yeah, me too,” Wade agreed, getting to his feet. “Listen, man, I gotta go, but thanks for calling. You tell Tansy I said hey, alright?”

“I will do that,” George said with one of those toothpaste ad smiles that Wade could just hear. “You sure you’re okay, Wade?” he asked again then.

“Maybe not entirely,” his friend admitted. “But I prob’ly will be. Don’t worry, Tucker, it’s all under control.”

They ended their call then and Wade shoved his cell back into his pocket before walking on out the door. Now he knew just exactly where he was headed.

* * *

Zoe thought she had it under control. Usually, if anything was on her mind at all, she was pretty good at compartmentalising, pushing all the worries aside so she could work efficiently. It was dangerous for her mind to go wandering when she was treating patients - one false move really could be the difference between life and death sometimes.

Of course, when she was on a break, she was allowed to become distracted, and she certainly did feel that way today. She stood in the break room for her entire fifteen minutes, holding a mug of coffee that went from hot to cold without her taking a single sip.

Later, she was hanging around the reception desk, staring at nothing at all, until finally Marcy had poked her in the arm with a pen, hard. When she flinched away, complaining about possible injury, her friend just rolled her eyes.

“What is wrong with you today? I called your name four times. Physically jabbing you was the only way to actually get you back in the land of the living.”

She had made excuses when Marcy went on to ask what was wrong, because trying to explain it would be practically impossible. Well, not impossible exactly, but Zoe was pretty sure that even if she could find the words, nobody was ever going to understand her reasoning, because it made no sense.

Now, sat at home with an array of paperwork in front of her, she felt no less overwhelmed. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand the legal jargon or anything. George had added Post-Its and such to make clear what everything meant, where she needed to sign, and what happened next. He also promised that she could call him at any time if she needed to ask questions.

Zoe assured him then that it was fine. She knew what she was doing, signing over her rights to half the practice, the place where her natural father, Harley Wilkes, had worked for decades, the father she never met and never could. Dr Breeland would do a good job running the place by himself, Zoe knew. Wade had agreed that, as much of an ass as Brick could be sometimes, he was a pretty decent doctor. Nothing compared to Harley, so he said, but pretty decent.

Bluebell had functioned very well long before Zoe Hart came along and it would continue to do so. It was going to have to, because her life was in New York, and Wade’s life was in the city now too. It made sense to just sign the papers and be done.

“If it makes sense, then why aren’t I just doing it?” Zoe asked herself out loud, still playing with the pen in her hands, rather than clicking it on and signing on the dotted lines.

She was still contemplating when the door buzzer sounded. Zoe went immediately to see who was there, finding herself smiling widely when she found it was Wade. By the time he got up to the apartment, she had the paperwork hidden under some books where it wouldn’t be spotted. She thought she was being smart, but clearly, not as smart as she ought to be.

“What’s goin’ on, doc?” asked Wade as she ushered him inside.

“Going on? Nothing’s going on,” she told him, laughing too much, then off the disbelieving look on his face, she heaved a sigh. “Okay, fine. There’s something going on, but it is not a big deal, okay?” she told him firmly, moving over to the coffee table and retrieving the papers. “I got these from George, five days ago,” she said, handing them to Wade.

“Well, that I already knew,” he told her with a smirk. “Tucker called me today, askin’ if I knew why he hadn’t heard from you at all about this,” he said, gesturing with the papers. “Seems he thought you’d be sendin’ ‘em back pretty fast.”

“Believe me, _I_ thought I’d be sending them back fast too,” said Zoe, taking the paperwork back and sitting down on the couch with a bump. “I have had the pen in my hand at least a dozen times, and every time I get close to signing my name I just... freeze,” she explained, looking up at Wade in desperation. “What is wrong with me?”

“Hey, there is nothin’ wrong with you, doc,” he promised, coming to sit beside her. “This is a big deal, signing away a big inheritance and all.”

“That’s just the thing, it’s not really a big inheritance,” Zoe reminded him. “I mean, it’s not a million dollars or a castle or anything, it’s just a little doctor’s practice, from a man that, yes, was my father, but I never knew him. And it’s not as if I’m letting anybody down, not really. Bluebell has a doctor, Brick is totally qualified and experienced, and I’m not even GP material. I’m a surgeon, used to a busy hospital setting. It’s not me and I should just sign it away,” she said sensibly, “and yet, every time I try, I feel like I’m cutting something off. Something major and important somehow. Does that sound crazy to you?” she asked Wade in earnest.

“No, Zoe, it does not sound crazy,” he promised her, putting his arm around her and kissing her temple. “Listen, doc, I can’t tell you what to do about all of this stuff. It’s your decision, your choice to make. Last thing I want is for you to do anythin’ that’ll make you unhappy.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile, “but I think the real problem might be that I’m not even sure I know what would make me happy right now,” she confessed. “Well, except for you, obviously.”

“Obviously.” Wade grinned, stealing a real kiss from her lips this time. “So, for all your talk about bein’ sure your life is in New York, you seem pretty tied up in knots when it comes to signin’ away the chance to be elsewhere.”

“Apparently,” Zoe agreed, dumping the pen down on the table with a clatter and leaning back into the couch cushions, curled into Wade’s side. “Ugh, I just wanna close my eyes and pretend my life is simple.”

“Yeah, I guess we all feel that way sometimes,” her boyfriend agreed, just holding onto Zoe for a while as she clung to him. “Hey, I was just thinkin’,” he said eventually. “All this album promotion stuff’ll be over in a few more days, at least, that’s what Brad was sayin’ last I talked to him. Maybe, if you could get a few days off too, we could take these papers back to Bluebell in person. I mean, maybe what you need to help you decide on whether to sign or not is another look at what you’re really givin’ up?”

Zoe considered that for a moment and then sat up a little to look at him. “You know, what? I think you might be right. It’s not like going back means I’ve made my choice. If I want to keep the practice, I can make arrangements with Brick while we’re there, and if I don’t, I can just sign the papers and hand them over before we come home. At least I’d get a chance to see everybody in person again, even if it’s just to say goodbye.”

She wasn’t sure why those last few words caught in her throat, but Zoe chose not to think about it much. The smart choice would be to just sign the papers, mail them back to George Tucker, and be done, but Wade’s idea of going to Bluebell again, it appealed to Zoe so much. Somehow, she just couldn’t bring herself to say no.


	31. Chapter 31

This time when they arrived at Mobile airport, the heat didn’t come as quite such a shock to Zoe. She didn’t greet Lavon Hayes like a celebrity - though he still was one in her eyes - but as a friend that she loved already, even though they hadn’t known each other long. All in all, she was just thrilled to be back in Alabama and to know she was headed towards Bluebell for at least the next two weeks.

It was earlier in the day than it had been on their first trip into town, so Zoe got to see the sights on the way. There was more than one sign declaring ‘Roll Tide’, a whole array of truck stops and such that looked like something out of old movies, and miles and miles of rolling scenery that made Zoe smile. City life was great and New York was amazing, but this was something else. A still small voice inside of her just couldn’t stop asking, ‘Wouldn’t you like this better? Don’t you just want to stay forever?’

“That is one thoughtful expression, doc,” said Wade from beside her in the backseat. “You ain’t wishin’ we didn’t come already, are ya?”

Zoe shook her head as she turned from the window to look at him.

“Actually, I was just thinking how happy I am to be back,” she said, not at all surprised to see him smile at the sentiment. “It’s so weird, I’ve spent less than one whole week in Bluebell before now, and already coming back here... well, in this totally weird way, it feels like coming home. Maybe it’s just because it’s your home,” she considered, leaning over as much as her seatbelt would allow for a hug.

“Maybe that’s it,” Wade agreed, kissing the top of her head, “but maybe it’s ‘cause this place is in your blood too. I mean, you’re Harley Wilkes daughter, that means at least half o’ what’s in you is pure Alabama, girl.”

“Man has a point,” said Lavon from the driver’s seat. “You may have been raised a New Yorker, Z, but you’re one of us too.”

That made Zoe smile even wider if such a thing were possible. “You know, you guys have a point. I’m actually half Alabaman. Alabamian? Bluebellian?”

“Southern, baby,” Wade advised, squeezing her hand. “Just stick with Southern.”

Lavon laughed heartily at that and Zoe couldn’t help but join in, settling down in her seat and watching the scenery fly by for a while longer. She was loving the whole trip already and it had hardly even started.

The only thing that concerned Zoe was the view when they actually reached Bluebell proper. There didn’t seem to be anybody much in town square, which she knew was so unusual, unless it was a Sunday morning, then the stores were closed and most people were attending Reverend Mayfair’s sermon. This, however, was a Friday, which begged the question, where did everybody go?

Before Zoe had a chance to ask, Wade did it for her. Lavon cleared his throat twice before he gave an answer and then it was vague and mumbled, to say the least. Wade and Zoe shared a confused look but said nothing more about it, at least not until they reached the plantation and Lavon headed straight up to the main house, showing no sign of offering to drive the extra distance to the gatehouse, despite the fact they had all their luggage in the back of the car.

“Aww, hell, no!” Wade groaned 

“What?” asked Zoe, frowning some. “What’s going on?”

Wade sighed and ran a hand over his face. “You remember last time we came visitin’?” he said then, noticing how Lavon quickly got out of the car before he could be questioned further. “Our good buddy the mayor said that he talked Lemon and AB out of throwing us the welcomin’ party to end all parties.”

“Sure, I remember, but... Oh, no!” Zoe suddenly gasped in realisation. “They wouldn’t, would they?” she checked.

“For Bluebell’s favourite reformed character and their newest town princess?” he said gesturing between them. “Are you kiddin’, doc?”

Zoe didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Not that she didn’t appreciate the fact the town wanted to welcome her and Wade back again, but she really wasn’t dressed or emotionally prepared for a party in her honour. Of course, the thought occurred as she looked down at her clothes that she probably was dressed just right for a midday gathering in Bluebell. This was no glitzy city party, it was probably closer to a hoedown.

“Okay, the way I see it we got two choices,” said Wade as he got out of the car and encouraged Zoe to do the same. “We either go on in there and party with the good folks of Bluebell.”

“Or?” Zoe prompted when he fell silent.

“Or we steal Lavon’s car and drive like hell,” he said, looking to his friend with a smirk.

“You could try, Wade, m’boy, but you know you won’t get far,” he said with a grin. “Burt Reynolds!” he yelled off to the side.

“You’d set your gator on me, man? For runnin’ out on a party?” Wade asked, knowing his friend was joking just as much as he had been.

“On a party that Lemon organised for you at my house?” Lavon countered. “Yes, I would.”

“Then we should probably just get in there,” Zoe suggested, squeezing in between the two guys. “I’m guessing they’re all waiting to yell surprise or something?”

“Prob’ly,” Lavon agreed, backing up a step to let the new arrivals go first.

“Alright, doc. Let’s do this,” said Wade, holding out his hand to Zoe who dutifully took hold.

Together they went into the house and no sooner had they cleared the front door, than an eruption of cheers and applause were heard. The entrance hall was chock-full of people, strewn with streamers and balloons, with a huge banner above it all that read, ‘Welcome Home, Wade & Zoe.’

“So, this is what you would call a real Bluebell welcome, huh?” Zoe laughed, hiding her face in Wade’s chest as he hugged her close.

“Yeah, somethin’ like that, doc,” he agreed, chuckling himself as he took in the scene around him. “Lemon and Annabeth really went all out. I guess they weren’t ever gonna let old Lavon tell ‘em no twice.”

“Exactly right,” the man himself confirmed as he stepped up beside them. “Just about anybody else in this town, I could turn down their request, but Lemon? A second go-around?”

“I guess that makes some sense.” Wade nodded, seconds before Lemon herself came charging at him, clearly expecting a hug.

“There was no way you were avoidin’ a real welcome home this time around, Wade Kinsella,” she said definitely, reaching out her arms to him.

“C’mere, Breeland,” he said, taking hold and lifting her off her feet to swing her around and around until she kicked and squealed to be put down.

Zoe couldn’t help but laugh, seeing the fairly prim and proper Lemon swung around for all she was worth. It wasn’t as if she had to be jealous of Wade manhandling another woman. He had made it very clear, several times, that he looked to Lemon purely in a brother-sister way and she had confirmed much the same herself last time they came visiting.

“Hey, Zoe,” Annabeth greeted her with a grin then. “We’re so happy to have you back again,” she said giving her a hug.

“And I’m happy to be here,” Zoe told her honestly, almost surprising herself with quite how much she really did mean that.

After Lemon and AB, there were certainly enough other people who wanted to welcome Wade and Zoe back to town. Tom and Wanda talked a mile a minute about everything that had been going on in town lately, including their own engagement that they were so excited about. Lemon’s sister, Magnolia, was all for throwing herself at Wade, much as the girls back in New York did when he played gigs, and Zoe found herself cornered by Dash DeWitt who wanted to know the exact status of ‘Zade’ as he called their relationship, as well as Zoe’s plans for the practice. She was more than a little grateful to be saved from a grilling by none other than George Tucker.

“Sorry, Dash, but we have legal matters to discuss,” he said, steering Zoe away from the Blawker’s chief reporter. “Well, it’s at least half-true,” he told her as they got over to the buffet table.

“I guess it is,” Zoe agreed, nodding her thanks as George offered to get her a cup of punch. “Although, honestly, I don’t really have any definitive answers for you yet, which I’m sure is not what you want to hear-”

“Hey, what you decide is what you decide, Zoe.” George shook his head as he handed her a drink. “It won’t make a difference to me if you keep the practice or not. Well, actually, I guess I do have an opinion on it but... never mind,” he said, smiling awkwardly.

“You’re allowed to have an opinion, George,” Zoe assured him, “and if you wanna share it, I’d be more than happy to hear what you think. This whole thing is still so crazy to me.”

“I guess it would be,” George considered. “Finding out a stranger was your father and then that he left you half his business, that’s a lot.”

“Don’t forget the crazy twist that my boyfriend comes from the same town as that father I knew nothing about,” said Zoe with a look. “Add that in and what you have isn’t so much crazy as full-on, off-the-wall bonkers.”

George laughed at the way she phrased it and Zoe couldn’t help but laugh too. It was altogether weird, but she couldn’t exactly say she regretted finding out about Harley, and she absolutely could never be sorry about meeting Wade. He was one in a million to her, the first and only guy she had ever felt quite this way about. To think she had said no the first time he tried to ask her out. To think she had stormed away from him and briefly thought their relationship might be over when they first came to Bluebell and she found out he had once been married to the girl who was now dating George.

“Hey, baby,” said the lawyer himself as Tansy appeared at his side. “You want some punch?”

“Sure, that’d be nice,” she said with a smile. “Hey, Zoe. Nice to have you back in town.”

“Thank you, Tansy. It’s good to be here,” she told her, smiling back just the same. “I was just asking George his opinion on whether I should stay in Bluebell or not. Honestly, if you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear those too. Maybe the best way for me to make a decision is just to take a freakin’ poll, because I had no idea what to do.”

“It’s a big decision, I guess,” Tansy considered, gratefully accepting her drink from George. “I mean, I’m sure I never had to make such a life-changing choice in my whole life. Closest I come was... well, nevermind.”

Zoe opened her mouth to ask what she was going to say, then realised it was probably something about marrying Wade. It was strange how little that bothered her now. After their fight when she first found out her boyfriend used to be a married man, Zoe really hadn’t thought much more about it. Though she would never say as much to Tansy for fear of hurting her, Zoe was pretty sure Wade never really loved his wife, not in the way a person should if they were going to be married. That was why it just didn’t bother her anymore.

“You know they told me you were beloved here, that you just fit right in in our little town, but I didn’t believe it until I saw it,” said a voice Zoe knew well.

She turned to see Jonah stood behind her, and felt perfectly comfortable in reaching out to give him a hug.

“Hey, it’s good to see you. How’re things in Mobile?”

“They’re not bad,” Jonah told her, nodding his head as they parted. “And you are looking one hundred percent happier than the last time I saw you, Dr Hart... or should I be calling you Dr Wilkes now, given recent revelations?”

“It’s still Hart right now,” Zoe confirmed, wondering where the ‘right now’ had come from, but deciding not to worry about it for the moment. “As for me fitting in, I was reminded on the way here that I am made up of at least half Southern DNA, so why shouldn’t Bluebell love me?”

“No reason I can think of,” Jonah told her, smirking hard. “Of course, I’m glad enough that this town is happy to have just as many doctors in it as want to show up. I may be working in Mobile, but I’ve taken to commuting back and forth a lot, for good reasons,” he said, pointedly lifting his hand, the fingers of which were very much intertwined with someone else’s own.

“Oh, wow,” Zoe gasped, looking from Jonah to Annabeth and back. “I didn’t know you were... I mean, is this a new thing or an old thing rekindled or...”

“It’s new,” AB confirmed, smile on her face a mile wide. “Well, kind of, anyway.”

“I had the biggest crush on her when we were kids,” Jonah explained, eyes shifting from Zoe to his girlfriend. “Of course, she only had eyes for Jake Nass back then.”

“That’s because I was a stupid-head,” Annabeth told him definitely, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on his lips. “I know better now.”

“Aww, you two are so cute!” Zoe declared happily. “Okay, now, I have to go find my boyfriend because you’re actually making me miss him, even though we’ve only been apart for fifteen minutes!” she said with faked frustration.

“Isn’t the first part of a new relationship just the best?” AB enthused with a giggle.

“I don’t know.” Zoe shook her head, finally spotting Wade across the crowded room talking with his dad and smiling at the sight. “I don’t think there’s been a part of what I have with Wade that hasn’t been ‘the best’ yet,” she said honestly.

She managed a vague ‘excuse me’ as she moved past AB and Jonah then, focused only on Wade who she met in the middle of all the excited party guests.

“Hey there, doc,” he greeted her happily, taking both her hands in his own. “Thought maybe I lost you in all this crazy.”

“Not a chance, cowboy,” she promised, reaching up to kiss him.

The assembled party-goers reacted with a rapturous applause, plus whooping and hollering to boot. Zoe felt the heat rising in her cheeks as she and Wade parted, but of course, he wasn’t in the least bothered to have everybody’s attention.

“Y’all got nothin’ better to do than stand around starin’ at us?”

“It’s your party, sweetheart,” Shula told him with a grin. “You’re supposed to have all the attention.”

“Yes, indeed,” Lemon agreed wholeheartedly. “As if you would have it any other way than being the centre of things, Wade Kinsella.”

“Well, I didn’t know anybody was allowed so much fuss but you, Lemon,” he snarked back at her. After his friend walked away, he turned back to see his girlfriend staring up at him with the giddiest grin on her face. “What’s that look for?”

“Nothing,” she told him, shaking her head. “I’m just really glad we came here, and I’m really, _really_ glad to be with you. Just don’t get a big head about it, okay?”

“No promises, doc,” Wade told her, kissing her one more time, never mind what anybody else thought about it.


	32. Chapter 32

Over the years, Wade Kinsella had woken up to many different female forms beside him. Some he was sorry about, most he wasn’t, but no-one, absolutely no-one, measured up to Zoe Hart and what he felt every single time he opened his eyes and saw her there in his bed.

Something happened to him the day they met, something that Wade didn’t have words for. It had been something else getting to know her, going out on dates, becoming a part of her life and having her become the best thing about his. Hell, he was even starting to believe those folks that always said sex was better when you really felt something real for the other person, that making love was just a whole other thing. What he and Zoe had proved it true, he was sure on that.

Now, they were back in his home town, that ought to be hers too, in some ways. It was amazing enough being with Zoe in New York, Wade didn’t think it could get any better, but walking around Bluebell hand-in-hand with this woman, waking up beside her in his own little gatehouse, it was some kind of magic. Wade could honestly see this being his life forever and never wanting to change it. Shame then that it wasn’t quite so simple.

Zoe had sure been enjoying her time in Bluebell. She hadn’t actually said she wanted to stay, to take on her half of the practice and call ‘Bama home on a permanent basis, but she also hadn’t said a definite no on the subject either. Mostly, Wade chose not to mention it at all, to live in some kind of misguided hope. Brick asked once, George mentioned it in passing a couple of days back, but for the most part Zoe was left alone to enjoy her time in Bluebell without pressure, and she looked real good doing it too. She always looked good, Wade knew, because as attractive as she was on the outside, she had the kind of beauty that came from the inside too, where it really mattered.

“Hey,” she said as she opened her eyes and caught him staring then. “You do know watching people sleep is a little creepy, right?”

“And here was me thinkin’ it was romantic or somethin’,” Wade told her, leaning down to kiss her lips. “You know, like that Aerosmith song you love.”

“That is true,” Zoe considered, “but I like the song you wrote for me even better,” she promised him with a wide smile.

“That, Zoe Hart, is a real good answer,” he told her definitely.

The kissing resumed and soon turned into rolling around under the covers like the passionate lovers they were. It was an hour before they actually surfaced and were ready to face the day. Even then, Zoe was reluctant to leave Wade’s bed, but frankly, she was going to cease functioning without some coffee and food soon.

“Besides,” she told him as she pulled on her clothes, “I told AB I would meet her for lunch later and Rose was asking if I could help her out with choosing a dress for her school dance at some point.”

“Look at you.” Wade chuckled from his place still stretched out in bed watching her, arms crossed behind his head on the pillow. “You are becoming quite the social butterfly, doc. Bluebell sure has got you wrapped around its finger already.”

“It has not!” she protested, even though she knew he had a point. “The people are just all so nice, you know? They treat me like some kind of princess, partly because I’m Harley Wilkes’ daughter, partly because they never thought they’d see the day when you took a relationship seriously,” she said, giving him a look.

“I ain’t questioning how special you are, Zoe,” he assured her. “I just think it’s kinda nice, you settling in so well and all.”

“Yeah, it is nice,” she agreed, smiling all over her face. “What would be even nicer was if you got your butt out of bed and came to breakfast with me up at the house. You just know Lavon and Lemon will be wondering what’s keeping us.”

“If they can’t guess then they don’t know me as well I thought.” Wade smirked, gently kicking her in the butt as she walked by the end of the bed.

“Hey!” she complained, picking up his shirt from the floor and throwing it at him even as he laughed. “Get dressed and come to breakfast,” she told him, mock sternly, having a hard time keeping a straight face, truth be told. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

“I’ll be there, sweetheart!” Wade called behind her as she let herself out of the gatehouse and rushed off to the house.

Heaving a sigh, Wade finally got himself up out of bed and looked around for his pants. Before he managed to find them, his cell started up ringing on the nightstand.

“Seriously?” he asked the phone as it vibrated and danced on the surface. “Who in the hell...?” he muttered, picking it up to see Bradley’s name on the screen. “Brad,” he greeted him a second after accepting the call. “What’s goin’ on, man?”

“Wade?” he called back at him. “You sound weird.”

“I got you on speaker,” he explained, hopping on one foot to try and get into first his underwear and then his pants. “I just this second got outta bed and my girlfriend is waitin’ on me for breakfast, so whatever you need me for, maybe you could say it fast. You forget I was on vacation here?”

“I didn’t forget, Wade,” Bradley assured him, “and trust me, I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t urgent.”

“Urgent, how?” asked Wade from across the room where he had finally located the shirt he wanted.

“Wade... well, look, I’m just going to tell you how it is, because keeping secrets is not my style,” said Bradley then, making Wade frown more than a bit. “The album isn’t exactly selling like we hoped. There were some pre-orders, not as many as we expected, but we figured come release day, it’d pick up, and with all the promo stuff and everything... but it just hasn’t happened. I mean, we’re maybe going to make enough to cover costs but it’s looking like that might be it. Sales have just dropped right off, and I don’t think last night’s incident is exactly going to help matters.”

“Incident?” Wade echoed, too stunned to move from the spot across the room yet, even though picking up the phone might’ve been a good plan by now. “You mean like an accident or somethin’?”

“Oh, this was no accident,” Bradley told him, letting out a hollow laugh. “You know how Mark has been the last few weeks? Well, he and Clayne got into it at the club last night. Right in the middle of the dancefloor, he takes a swing at the guy, almost knocks him completely on his ass.”

Wade didn’t mean to laugh, he really didn’t, but the whole scenario did just sound so bizarre. He covered his mouth with his hand and hoped Bradley hadn’t heard anything he shouldn’t, but honestly, he wasn’t exactly shocked to hear Mark got fist happy. The guy had form for that kind of thing back in the day. Sure, he calmed down a lot once he was grown, but when his temper flared, it really went off with a bang.

He never did make any serious attempt to step on Wade’s toes, because he knew what he’d get if he did. He was actually surprised he got that brave with Clayne, because that guy could give as good as he got too. Of course, he had more of a head on his shoulders than most and probably would’ve tried not to make too much of a scene given the circumstances.

“Wade?”

“Still here, man,” he told Bradley, shaking his head clear of too much thought. “Ah, so, Sippin’ Whiskey ain’t doin’ so well reputation wise nor selling album wise. That’s the whole story, right?”

“Pretty much.” Bradley sighed. “I’m sorry to have to tell you all this, Wade, and ruin your vacation, but you deserved to know the truth.”

Taking a deep breath, Wade finally crossed the room and picked up the cell, clicking it off of speaker and putting it to his ear. He had his back to the door and didn’t even see Zoe coming back up the steps. Never even heard her open the door as he told Bradley just exactly what he thought of the current situation of the band.

“Look, Brad, the truth is, if this whole music career thing died it’s death tomorrow, I’m not so sure I’d cry about it, not any more. I mean, sure, the money’s nice and all the attention wasn’t so bad for a while. I got to see the big city and be a real-life guitar hero, whatever. Fact is, my life has changed more in the last six months than I ever could’ve imagined. Bein’ back here in Bluebell with Zoe and all... makes me wonder if I shouldn’t just give up the whole rockstar, big city thing and just come on home for good.”

The gasp behind him made Wade turn real fast, in time to see Zoe back out of the door again and set off at a run. A couple of choice curse words escaped his lips and then he was apologising to Bradley and scrambling into a pair of boots.

“I’ll call you back later, but right now, I gotta go,” he told his manager, ending the call and yelling for Zoe as he started to run after her.

Much like the last time she decided to hear half a story and bolt, she was already long gone.

* * *

Zoe’s head was spinning. One minute she was perfectly happy and contented, making love with Wade Kinsella, loving being in Bluebell, wanting nothing more than a cup of coffee and some breakfast, before spending a long, lazy day with friends and loved ones. She had no idea how much could change in just five minutes.

Honestly, she ought to be used to shocks by now. She certainly had enough of them lately. Still, hearing what Wade had said, about giving up his career and his whole life in New York to move back to Bluebell permanently, with her, no less, it had kind of blown her mind.

On automatic, she staggered back towards the main house, not even thinking about the fact Wade might follow her there. It wasn’t that she really wanted to get away from him anyway, it was just that she needed some breathing space and a few minutes to process.

“Well, Zoe Hart, what are you doin’ back again and without your man in tow?” asked Lemon as she re-entered the kitchen.

“Hey, Z?” Lavon prompted when she didn’t react, his expression full of concern when Zoe finally looked at him. “What in the heck happened to you?”

Lemon came over to Zoe then, putting a hand on her shoulder and guiding her to a seat. “Well, bless my soul, you look just awful. Did you take a fall out there? Did that crazy Burt Reynolds frighten you?”

“No.” Zoe shook her head, swallowing hard and trying to find focus. “I just... I went over to the gatehouse to hurry Wade along, like we said. He was on the phone to Bradley, the band’s manager.”

“He have some bad news or somethin’?” Lavon asked curiously, taking a seat across the counter from his friend.

“No. Well, yes,” Zoe reconsidered. “I mean, I don’t know exactly. I didn’t hear much of what he said. He was on speaker, but then Wade picked up the phone to talk to him. He said... he said he didn’t really care what happened with the band. He was talking about being happy just to give it all up, being a rockstar, living in New York, everything.”

She looked at Lemon, who in turn looked at Lavon, though nobody seemed to know exactly what to say. Eventually, it was the mayor who found a few words.

“Well, I don’t... I mean, it’s not like Wade would really give up everything like that. I know he wants to be in New York, because that’s where you are.”

“Except I’m not,” Zoe reminded him, “or at least, I don’t have to be.”

“If you take Harley’s share of the practice alongside Daddy,” said Lemon knowingly, sinking down onto the stool next to Zoe’s own. “Is that what you wanna do?” she asked carefully.

Zoe opened her mouth to answer that and then closed it again, feeling uncertain. Sometimes, she seriously considered it. There were moments when she wondered why she was even pretending like she wanted to go back to New York. Bluebell was so great. It was Wade’s home, it was her natural father’s birthplace too. She had so many friends here, practically like family. It was comfortable and familiar and nothing at all like New York, but she loved it, loved it like home, and yet.

“New York is all I know,” she said helplessly. “I was born and raised a city girl, trained to be a surgeon, to work in a hospital, I don’t... I just don’t know if I can give all that up,” she said, looking to Lavon for help. “You understand, right?”

“I guess, maybe,” he considered. “’Course, everything was kind of the other way around for me. All I knew was Bluebell and small town livin’ before I made the big time in football. Big cities and fame and fortune and all, it ain’t no bad thing,” he said with a grin, “but what made me the happiest in the end was coming right back home. I ain’t sayin’ I don’t love my football or that I’m not glad for the career I had, ‘cause that’d be a lie, but when it comes down to it, home is what matters, and family, and folks that love you.”

He was right of course and Zoe nodded her head in understanding of every word he said. Still, what was right for Lavon wasn’t necessarily right for her, and as he said, his situation had been reversed. He gave up Bluebell and all he knew for a while to be rich and famous in playing football and everything, before deciding to return home when all that was over.

For Zoe, it would mean leaving her career and starting anew, away from the only blood family she had left and the friends and colleagues she knew in New York. Of course, she would be gaining a lot too. A different kind of family, but one that could matter just as much, a job that could be just as fulfilling as the one she left behind, maybe even more so.

“Zoe?” Lemon prompted, her hand at her elbow.

“I’m okay,” she said, finding her friend a smile. “I promise, I am. I just really need to think about all this before I talk to Wade again. It’s a big decision and I think I’ve been putting it off for way too long already.”

“Well, whatever you decide, I know he’ll understand,” said Lemon kindly.

“I’d count on that,” Lavon agreed easily. “Never did think I’d live to see the day when Wade Kinsella might just settle down with anybody, but then he brought you here, Z. If he ain’t head-over-heels, 24 carat, stone-cold in love with you, then he’s doin’ a real fine job of makin’ it look like he is.”

“And trust me, for all that Wade is and has been,” said Lemon with a look, “he is just lousy at lyin’.”

Zoe laughed at the way she said it, knowing it was true. Wade was as honest as the day was long and she loved that about him. She loved everything about him, actually, which is what had her so worried. If they chose wrong here, if they couldn’t agree on the next step in their life together, then maybe they would be making that next step in opposite directions, and that was the very last thing Zoe wanted.


	33. Chapter 33

When Wade realised Zoe was long gone from the gatehouse, he got straight into his car and headed for town. She said something about meeting up with Rose and later Annabeth, so he started by calling on both ladies to see if she had gone to either of their places. No dice.

After that, Wade tried just about every other place he could think of, from the gazebo in town square to the Rammer Jammer, by way of the Butterstick and old Harley’s grave. He looked every place he could imagine Zoe running to in such a moment and in every one he came up empty. He was pretty sure even she wouldn’t go flying back to New York without a word, and without any of her luggage either, so she had to be in Bluebell somewhere. Question was, where exactly?

Driving into the woods, it was a last-ditch attempt when he pulled up outside of Earl’s shack. The old man was out on the porch before Wade was even fully out of the car, smiling wide and clearly glad to see his son. The happy expression faded before Wade ever reached his side.

“You come all the way out here to see me and didn’t even bring your pretty doctor girlfriend along?” he asked, a frown creasing his brow.

Wade sighed. “So, she’s not here either?”

Of course, Earl was baffled by the question. Though these days he was on the wagon, all those years of drinking meant he confused easy. Heading inside, Wade explained how Zoe had bolted when she overheard him on the phone.

“I guess it freaked her out, hearing me talk about givin’ up my career and New York and all,” said Wade, sitting down on the edge of a chair and running his hands over his face. “I mean, does she think I meant come back home without her? ‘Cause I thought she knew better than that by now.”

“Maybe she does,” Earl considered, sitting down opposite his son. “Maybe that’s what scared the living daylights outta her. After all, the way you was talkin’ prob’ly sounded pretty permanent to the pretty doctor. The two o’ you, settlin’ down in Bluebell together.”

That made Wade smile in spite of everything. “Gotta say the thought kinda appeals,” he admitted, looking at his father. “You know, I never saw my life turnin’ out that way. The kinda thing that... that you and Momma had, I just never figured on findin’ that for myself. When I met Zoe, my life just changed and there’s no going back now. All those dreams I had about being a rockstar and everything, I had my fill o’ that. It was fun, don’t get me wrong, and like I said, the money was good and everything, but I think about my future...”

“It ain’t what you want,” said Earl knowingly. “Son, I speak from experience when I tell you that when you meet that one person in all the world that’s meant for you, everything changes. All the stuff you thought you wanted, doesn’t matter anymore, because she is all you want.”

Wade had to admit it was nice to talk to somebody who understood exactly how he felt and who he could be honest with about these things without feeling like a fool. If anybody had ever been in love it was old Earl, so in love in fact that when his darling Jacqueline upped and died, he went to pieces, irretrievably so, for more years than was healthy for a person. It had taken a lot to get him back on the wagon, back into life again, but they got there in the end. Wade never could’ve gone off to New York and left him otherwise.

“It’s all very well knowin’ I wanna give everything up and look to settlin’ down with Zoe,” he said then, “but her runnin’ out the way she did, doesn’t exactly tell me she feels the same. She’d have plenty to give up too. More than me, I guess, since New York is all she knows.”

“Ain’t even so!” Earl declared then, slapping his knee. “That girl is as much a part of Bluebell as she is any fancy-pants city up north. She’s old Dr Wilkes daughter, after all, and she fits in here better than some that have lived in this place their whole lives!”

“Yeah, I guess she does.” Wade smiled at the very thought. “Still, doesn’t mean she’s gonna be willing to just be here forever, give up her supersonic space surgeon stuff and everything that’s a part of her life up there.”

“Don’t know until you ask her.” Earl shrugged easily, though his expression looked very serious in the next second. “’Course, if she does say no, if she really wants to stay in New York and all, well, then you got a choice to make, son. You wanna give up that life and come home, and I would love for you to do that, if it’s what you want,” he said definitely, “but if it means givin’ up on what you have with Zoe...?”

He didn’t actually have to ask if Wade was willing and able to do that, the question was well enough implied. It ought to be a tough choice to make, Wade knew, and yet when he thought on it for all of a few seconds, he already knew his answer.

“I don’t know that I could, Dad,” he admitted, shaking his head. “She means that much to me, I might just go right ahead and give up my dream so she could have hers.”

He was a little surprised by the wide grin that came over Earl’s face then.

“Well, now I know you love her enough to do that settlin’ down and building a future thing that you talked about,” he said happily. “Best you go find your woman now, son, and find out if she loves you enough to say the same,” he said, leaning forward and smiling at his son. “For what it’s worth, my money’s on yes.”

* * *

When Zoe got back to the gatehouse, barely an hour after she left it, she was surprised to find Wade wasn’t there. She had actually expected he would chase her up to the main house to talk but he never showed, which had been a blessing since it gave her a chance to get her head straight, and for Lavon and Lemon to help her with all her muddled thoughts.

She thought she was ready to talk to Wade about what was going on and what their future might hold, so it had been an unpleasant surprise to find him missing from his place when she got there. Maybe he had gone looking for her, not realising she hadn’t strayed far. Zoe figured that the two of them chasing each other all over town wouldn’t do any good, so she sat and waited.

It took a while, but at last, Zoe heard a car outside and looked out of the window to see Wade getting out of his vehicle.

“Hey,” she said from the porch.

“Hey, yourself, doc,” he replied, finding her a smile. “I have been lookin’ all over for you. Thought’s just now occurrin’ to me, I never did check up at the house.”

“That’s where I was,” she said, nodding her head. “And then I was here and you weren’t.”

“Like I said, I was out lookin’ for you,” Wade repeated, coming up the steps and standing opposite her. “So...”

“So,” she echoed back. “I think we probably need to talk, you know, about some serious stuff.”

“Probably,” he agreed, nodding his head.

Despite their agreement, they both stood there for a while just staring at each other. Zoe had to wonder if Wade was thinking the same thing she was, that if they couldn’t agree on what came next, if their ideas of the future ultimately didn’t match up, then this whole thing had to be over. Even the passing thought of ending things with Wade made Zoe’s heart ache so badly she could barely stand it.

“Um, we should...” she said, gesturing towards the door.

Wade duly opened it and ushered her in first before following. Stood opposite each other in the middle of the gatehouse then, they were really no further forward than they had been on the porch. Somebody had to say something. Somebody had to start this thing and just hope that when they got to the end of it, it wasn’t the end of everything between them.

Zoe took a deep breath. “What you said to Bradley,” she began, eyes closing before she could even finish the question. “Were you serious? About giving up the band and New York and everything?”

When Wade didn’t answer her, she opened her eyes, half-wondering if he would still be there. Of course, he was, but he wasn’t answering. She was pretty sure she had never seen him look so awkward.

“Truth is, doc, I don’t know,” he told her, rubbing the back of his neck. “From what Brad was saying, things with the band... well, that might not be my choice to make. I don’t know how much you heard, but the album’s not exactly sellin’ like hot cakes, and then there was this fight type thing in a club between Mark and Clayne.”

“You said before that Mark was becoming a problem,” she recalled. “Bad enough to destroy the band?”

“Seems that way.” Wade nodded, meeting her eyes. “Trouble is, I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing anymore.”

Swallowing hard, Zoe tried to keep her breathing and voice even as she spoke again. “Because you wanna leave New York. You wanna come back here to stay,” she said, a statement, not a question, because it was the one part she was pretty clear on by now.

Wade sighed and stepped in closer to her. “Look, Zoe, I’m not gonna lie to you, you know that I can’t,” he said, picking up her hand in his own. “Truth is, I never really belonged in New York anyway. It was this big adventure when it started and I didn’t hate it. If nothing else came outta it, I met you and I could not be happier about that, but... but the more we come back here visiting and all, the more I realise that this is where I belong,” he admitted, squeezing her hand, “and it’s not like you don’t fit too. Come on now, you have made so many friends, and your daddy was from here. You could take on your half of the practice alongside Brick, guaranteed job, right there. You gotta admit, it ain’t the worst plan you ever heard.”

“It’s really not,” Zoe admitted, blinking back tears and fighting to keep her voice clear, “but it would mean me giving up New York and my whole life there.”

She said it because it was true, because the reality of the words being spoken ought to make her think twice, but frankly, the moment Zoe said them, she realised, she wasn’t scared. The idea of giving up a job that exhausted her more than it thrilled her these days, friends that she barely saw anymore and had next to nothing in common with, a loose connection to a mother that lied to her all her life, and an apartment that was merely a house not a home, it was almost too easy. Trading all that for Wade, Bluebell, the friends and home-made family she had found here, and a GP surgery that was her legacy, nothing really could be simpler. Zoe was so lost in her own revelation she actually missed a part of what Wade was saying.

“... and even if the band doesn’t work out, I could find other work. Might have to get a smaller apartment or somethin’, and life wouldn’t be so free and easy, but I could make it work, Zoe. If it meant being with you, I could learn to love New York somehow, I guess.”

“No,” she cut in fast, smiling at the confusion on his face when he met her gaze then. “No, Wade, I don’t want you to have to. Don’t get me wrong, I love that you would do that for me. I love you, so much that it scares the hell out of me sometimes,” she admitted, moving in closer, her free hand going to his cheek. “You are an amazing man, Wade Kinsella, and the fact that you would be so selfless... if I needed any more proof of how great you are or how much you love me, there it is, but honestly, I didn’t. I already knew, just like I know that you’re right. You belong in Bluebell, and the more time I spend here, the more I am totally convinced that I belong here too,” she admitted, laughter mixing with the tears in her voice as she went on. “I know there are some people who will think I must be certifiably crazy for saying it, but I would love to give up everything I have in New York to come live here with you. I want this to be our life, Wade, if that’s what you want.”

He looked surprised. Zoe couldn’t wonder at that since she had kind of surprised herself. She knew how much she loved being in Bluebell, how hard it was for her to just dismiss the chance of taking on Harley Wilkes’ half of the practice and everything, but she hadn’t been so certain she really wanted to throw away all she had up north to build a new life here with Wade. She knew it now and she had made it as plain as she could to him. Now she just had to wait for his reaction.

“You’re serious about this?” he checked, searching her face for a truthful answer that she was more than happy to give.

“So serious,” she promised him, reaching out for his other hand so she was holding onto both. “I love you, Wade Kinsella, and I love this wacky town and all it’s crazy people. I love the idea of making a life here with you.”

“Well, then, doc,” he said, smiling then, “I say that makes you just about as crazy as all get out, and I must be too, ‘cause that’s just about the best plan I ever heard my whole life!” he declared, suddenly grabbing a hold of her and hauling her up into his arms as he spun her around and around.

Zoe was laughing and yelling to be put down as the gatehouse’s interior whizzed by in front of her eyes. When Wade set her back on her feet, she still felt giddy, but in the best way as their eyes met.

“I love you, Dr Zoe Hart,” he told her definitely. “We’re gonna make this work, you know that, right?”

“I’m counting on it,” she said, nodding her head, barely getting a breath in before Wade leaned down and kissed her deeply.

As Zoe held on tight to the man she loved and kissed him back for all she was worth, a familiar warmth filled her chest and her feet seemed to leave the ground all over again, even though she knew for sure she was still standing firm. This was love, what she and Wade had, and she had known it for a while, but now it was even more than that. This was home too, her home, in this town, in this house, in his arms. From now on, it was the only place Zoe ever wanted to be.


	34. Chapter 34

_One Year Later..._

“I promise you, AB, there is nothing wrong,” said Zoe with a smile. “A little hair loss during pregnancy is completely normal. You know, if you had just mentioned this to Jonah, he could’ve told you the same thing.”

“Oh, he did,” she admitted, hopping down from the exam table, her hand going immediately to her slightly rounded belly. “And it’s not that I don’t trust him, but you know how it is with men. I just feel better havin’ a woman tell me it’s alright.”

There wasn’t a huge amount of logic in that, Zoe thought, but it didn’t matter much. She was certainly used to that kind of thing in Bluebell.

“So long as you feel better now, that’s all that matters,” she assured her friend. “What else am I here for?” she said, shrugging her shoulders.

They said their goodbyes for now, with AB promising to see Zoe later at the Grand Opening. Brick heard that last part from his own office door and turned to Zoe with a smile.

“You know, I am still so impressed with what you and Wade Kinsella have both achieved this past year,” he said, no small amount of wonder in his tone, Zoe noted. “I have known that man since he was nothing but a babe in his mother’s arms, saw him grow up from a scrappy kid to, frankly, a real horndog of a young man. I have to say, in all honesty, I never saw him amounting to much in the grand scheme of things, but I am happy to report that I was wrong. He really has grown up and I do believe you are a large part of why, Dr Wilkes.”

Zoe wasn’t sure if she was smiling more at Brick’s compliments about her boyfriend or the way he so easily used her new last-name these days.

“Well, as much as I’d love to take all the credit,” she said then, “I don’t think so much of it had to do with me, and even if it did, I’m a different person because of Wade too. Without him, I wouldn’t be here. I might never have found out about Harley or this practice or Bluebell at all, and that would really suck.”

“Yes, it would,” Brick agreed, laughing even then, presumably at the way she phrased it.

Within a second, the door opened and more patients walked in. “I guess we should get back to work,” Zoe noted.

“I guess so, but if I can get away tonight, you know I will be at that Grand Opening myself this evening.”

“We’ll be more than happy to see you there,” said Zoe with a definite nod of her head.

The next moment, she was calling for her next patient and Brick was doing the same.

“Hey, Dr W,” said Cody as he limped over to her exam room door. “Uh, I had some trouble in the workshop...” he started to explain, showing her the make-shift bandage around his hand and then another at his knee.

“Okay, Cody, come on in,” she said, ushering him further into the room. “Just another day at the office,” she said to herself with a smile.

* * *

Wade wasn’t entirely sure why he was shaking, or maybe he knew exactly but wasn’t willing to admit it. He ought to have more metal than this when facing a crowd, after all that time he spent on stage and such, but then maybe the worry wasn’t so much facing a crowd as having nobody show up at all when he opened up this place for the first time tonight.

“Well, my, my, Wade Kinsella. This place almost _looks_ like a real business that might actually come to something,” said a voice behind him.

Wade turned to see Lemon approaching, smiling widely.

“You come by tonight, Miss Breeland, and you will find it more than just looks like a real business,” he told her definitely as she stepped up beside him and looped her arm through his own.

“When these doors open, I wouldn’t be anywhere else but here,” she promised, staring up at the building before them, the sign and the neon in each window proudly declaring ‘Wade’s Place.’ “You really have achieved something, Wade, and you should be proud. I know you had your ambitions of being a rockstar and all, but personally, I think you’re better off right back here.”

“Can’t argue with that, Lemon,” he agreed. “I mean, I don’t regret goin’ off to New York the way I did. Wouldn’t have Zoe in my life if I hadn’t.”

“Well, now, that is, without question, a relationship that needed to happen,” his friend said without pause. “You know, I was just so shocked when I found out you had a lady friend who might actually make a one-woman man out of you, and surprised all over again when she turned out to be Harley’s daughter.”

“You do look all kinds of amusin’ when you’re surprised.”

Wade earned himself a slap across the arm for that remark, but then Lemon went on complimenting him regardless.

“I wouldn’t cheapen what you’ve achieved in your life by sayin’ it’s all down to Zoe. She made some difference, I have no doubt, but this is all you, Wade. You went for one dream, and when it didn’t work out or fit your idea of what your future should be, you came up with another. Now, look at you, master of all you survey. I am very proud of you, Wade Kinsella, whether I have a right to be or not.”

“You got every right, Lemon,” Wade assured her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “I know we haven’t always gotten along as well as we should, for one reason and another, but these past few months most of all, when I needed help organisin’ this place and everything, you really stepped up.”

“Organising is just what I do.” Lemon shook her head dismissively, but Wade wouldn’t be put off.

“You didn’t have to put all your efforts into helping me, but you did, and I’m tellin’ you I appreciate it. Never did have a sister, but if I did...”

“Hush, how, Wade Kinsella,” she told him, sniffling some. “You’ll have me all overemotional and there just isn’t time for that. If you really want to thank me, you can promise me that when I book this place for my wedding reception, you won’t let the future Mrs Hayes down.”

Wade grinned wide at that. “You got a deal, Lemon Breeland-gonna-be-Hayes- someday-soon”

“And what about you, Wade?” she asked then, turning to face him. “Any plans in that direction for you and the good doctor?”

“Now, that would be tellin’, wouldn’t it?”

* * *

Anybody who was anybody showed up for the Grand Opening of Wade’s Place and not one amongst those people could say they were not impressed. Stood amongst the crowd, Zoe was once again bowled over by the love and support the community of Bluebell could show to one of their own when they needed it. She and Wade knew that they were going to be in partial competition to the Rammer Jammer and some other local businesses, but nobody seemed to mind that too much. In fact, it was Wally Maynard himself that was quick to shake Wade’s hand and wish him well.

“I just know there’s enough trade to go around,” he told him. “You’ll do good here, Wade, I’m sure of that.”

“Thanks, Wally. Means a lot comin’ from you,” he told him genuinely.

As his old boss walked away, Wade found himself mobbed by his old band mates. Only two of them, of course, Zoe thought, as she watched the scene unfold. It was a shame about Sippin’ Whiskey, but then, without the demise of the band, she and Wade wouldn’t have the life they were enjoying now, and neither would Clayne or Jordan.

Mark had gone out on his own in the end, deciding he didn’t need the others and that a solo career would suit him better. From what Zoe could figure out, he wasn’t doing all that well. She had her mom look into his progress a couple of months ago and she couldn’t even find a trace, not in New York or any other place. If he was going to be famous, Zoe didn’t think it would be any time soon. With his attitude, he really didn’t deserve to hit the big time at all.

Nobody could say that the break-up of the band had adversely affected the rest of the guys. Clayne took the money he made, brought it on home and invested it in his family’s business, seemingly as happy as Wade was to be back home. The same could be said for Jordan, who had also returned to the area, reuniting with his high school sweetheart and using his hard-earned music industry dollars to buy a house for them to move into after they got married a week from Sunday.

“Hey, Zoe,” he greeted her as she approached. “I was just tellin’, Wade, this place looks great. I’m sure glad Abilene agreed to us havin’ the wedding reception here, even though we hadn’t got to see the place finished ‘til today.”

“Hey, didn’t I say you could trust me?” Wade reminded his friend. “Come on now, you knew I’d never let you down, man.”

“He’s really not the type to do that,” said Zoe before anyone else could give an answer, her eyes meeting Wade’s own across the bar.

She didn’t actually notice Clayne and Jordan moving away, but they must have gone somewhere, because when she actually bothered to pay attention again, she and Wade were alone. Perhaps alone was pushing it, since the whole venue was full of people, but nobody was paying too much attention to the two of them just for the moment.

“I was hopin’ they’d all give us a minute eventually,” said Wade, leaning across the bar towards her. “Hey, doc,” he greeted her, planting a kiss on her lips.

“Hey, cowboy,” she replied with a grin. “Nice place you have here.”

“Thank you,” he said, smiling back at her as he stood straight and reached for a glass. “May I offer you a cocktail, ma’am? Speciality of the house,” he told her as he set to mixing it. “A little somethin’ I was inspired to make by a very special young lady that I know.”

“Really?” Zoe checked, a little surprised actually since Wade hadn’t mentioned such a thing before.

“Yup,” he confirmed, pouring the pink concoction into a glass and adding the garnishes. “This is what I call a Zoe Wilkes,” he told her then, pushing the glass towards her hand.

“It looks amazing,” she confirmed, picking it up and taking a sip, making a noise of genuine delight as she tasted the cocktail. “Wade, that is...”

She stopped sharply as she replaced the glass on the table and her eyes caught on something sparkling near the rim. The umbrella that sat in her drink had something threaded on its cocktail stick pole, something that looked distinctly like an engagement ring.

“Wade,” she gasped, shaking hands reaching out to retrieve said ring. “I don’t... Is it...?”

“It is what it looks like, doc,” he assured her, helping her out when she almost knocked the glass flying. “I know it was a corny way to do this, but you know me, I’m just a plain ol’ country boy.”

“No, Wade.” Zoe shook her head definitely. “You are so much more than that,” she promised him. “You do know how proud I am of you, right? And how much I love you?”

“I know,” he agreed, reaching to take her hand, “and I love you too, more than I ever knew I could love anybody,” he promised. “That’s why I’m standing here, in the middle of the crazy that is me opening my own bar,” he said grinning wide, “and asking you, Zoe Wilkes, if you will, please, marry me?”

“Of course, I will,” she told him happily, tears in her eyes and laughter in her voice that she couldn’t control. “Yes, Wade, I would love to marry you.”

He pushed the ring onto her finger without a moment’s pause, then took her face in his hands and kissed her. The next moment, Wade was literally hopping over the bar to get closer to Zoe, taking her in his arms to kiss her again and again. She certainly wasn’t going to argue with that, clinging on tight to him and kissing him back in equal measure.

“You kids couldn’t wait until you got home?” asked a voice then, finally succeeding in dragging them apart. “You know, as much as I know you love each other,” Earl went on, “this here is a place of business. Ya oughta least try and be professional.”

“We’ll be professional tomorrow night, Dad,” Wade promised, even as he picked up Zoe’s left hand in his own and flashed her ring at first Earl and then everybody else.

A cheer went up, a round of applause followed, and then, everybody came forward for hugs and kisses, congratulating Wade and Zoe both, and admiring the ring on her finger too.

“You know, I never thought I’d live to see the day when you wanted to get married for real,” Tansy told Wade with a smile, “but I’m awful happy to see you so settled, Wade,” she told him genuinely. “I honestly wish you two all the luck in the world,” she said, looking to Zoe then.

“Thank you, Tansy,” she said, reaching out to hug her fiance’s ex. “You think you and George...?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, waving that idea away with her hand. “I mean, it’s going well and everything, but you just never know with men.”

“Stick with it, Tans,” Wade advised her kindly. “Tucker is a little slow in gettin’ where he’s headed sometimes, but he makes it in the end,” he told her with a wink. “Like right now,” he added just as George came through the door. “What kept you from the party so long, Golden Boy? You’re missin’ out on all the fun.”

“I got stuck on the phone with a client, real big complicated case and...” he trailed off from his explanation as he came over to them and the light bounced off Zoe’s ring right into his eyes. “Oh my... Are you two engaged?”

“Excellent deductive skills, Mr Tucker,” Zoe joked, as George hugged first her and then Wade, congratulating them both.

The party atmosphere certainly kicked up a notch after the engagement happened and went on for hours and hours. It was pretty late before Wade and Zoe finally said goodnight to all their friends and family who would doubtless be dedicated patrons of Wade’s Place in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.

“And hey, that’s another wedding reception you can put on your books,” said Zoe as she watched him lock up.

“Not a chance, doc,” he said, shaking his head. “When we get wed, I’m gonna let somebody else do all the hard work. We’ll give the Rammer Jammer their chance at hosting on that one.”

“Well, I guess that’d be okay.” Zoe shrugged. “It was a really great night, and I don’t just mean because of this,” she said, waving her left hand in his face.

“So long as that was the best part,” said Wade, taking hold of said hand and kissing it.

“Duh, obviously.” Zoe giggled. “But seriously,” she continued as they walked back to the bar and sat down on the two nearest stools, “you’ve done an amazing job here, Wade. This place is incredible”

“Well, you’re not doing so bad yourself over at the practice, from what I hear,” he reminded her. “You’re seeing to more than your fair share of patients and everybody speaks highly of the second Dr Wilkes. You know, Harley would be so proud of you.”

“I like to think so.” Zoe smiled, looking around the bar that seemed so big and empty now. “It’s so weird, thinking back to the night we met. I was sitting at a bar, just like this,” she recalled, turning around to face the bar itself as Wade did the same.

“When some handsome, charming Southern gentleman walked up and changed your life forever just by sayin’ hello,” said Wade with a wide grin.

Zoe laughed. “Okay, if that’s how you remember it then maybe you should be the next patient I see, because there is something loose in there,” she said, lightly tapping on his head with her fist.

“Yeah, well.” Wade laughed. “Maybe I wasn’t quite so charming as I should’ve been then.”

“Clearly, you were charming enough,” said Zoe, meeting his gaze, “or we wouldn’t be here now, and I can’t think of anywhere I would rather be.”

“Not even New York?” he asked her, at least half-joking, she was sure.

“Especially not New York,” Zoe promised him anyway. “This is where I belong, in Bluebell, with you.”

“Ain’t gonna argue with that, doc,” said Wade definitely, right before he kissed her.


End file.
